Chinese premier meets crown prince of Abu Dhabi on cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, July 22 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Monday in Beijing, calling on the two countries to deepen all-round cooperation.

Noting that the UAE is China's important cooperative partner in the Middle East and the Gulf region, Li said China-UAE relations and cooperation have been carried on steadily since the establishment of diplomatic relations 35 years ago.

Li said the two sides have respected and supported each other on issues regarding core interests and major concerns.

China is willing to work with the UAE to continue to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance the synergy of development strategies and deepen all-around cooperation, so as to benefit the two countries and the two peoples, said Li.

The Chinese premier noted that economies of the two countries are highly complementary with broad cooperation prospects.

"China has a huge market and evolving industries," said Li, adding that China is expanding its opening-up and focusing on a marketized, legalized and internationalized business environment.

Li said China welcomes UAE's sovereign wealth fund and private capital to increase investment in China and to achieve more mutually beneficial and win-win results.

Li said China stands ready to work with countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council including the UAE to jointly push forward free trade zone negotiation and boost free trade.

Mohammed said the UAE-China friendship is unbreakable and the UAE is confident about the prospect of the Chinese economy. He said his country is ready to deepen cooperation with China in sectors including energy, finance, science and technology and aviation to promote further development of bilateral relations.