UAE and China strengthen relationship

The United Arab Emirates participated in the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services as the Country of Honor, and is looking forward to welcoming more Chinese travellers this year.

The UAE has been the first nation from the Middle East and North Africa to be the Country of Honor at the CIFTIS, which takes place from Aug 31 to Sept 5 in Beijing this year.

"China has always been a key market for Abu Dhabi and the CIFTIS is the perfect opportunity to share the Emirate with potential Chinese visitors," said Abdulla Yousuf Mohammad, director of Travel Trade and Market Development Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.

"There is something for everyone to enjoy at their own pace in Abu Dhabi, whether it's the exciting thrills of the theme parks on Yas Island or the inspiring heritage of Al Ain, or the restorative tranquillity of the beaches," he said.

Paving the way for long-term partnerships in the travel sector, representatives of the department also met with operators and key stakeholders in the tourism sector of China to promote diverse experiences offered to Chinese travellers.

Now, China stands as the UAE's largest trading partner. Last year, the non-oil trade exchange between the two countries rose by 27 percent and reached about $60 billion, hitting a new high since China and the UAE first established their diplomatic relations in 1984, said the UAE embassy in Beijing.

Meanwhile, Dubai-based carrier Emirates said it looks forward to a comprehensive victory in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, so that more people can arrange travel as they like.

Emirates have continued to rebuild its network and capacity as travel restrictions ease. It is currently operating at 74 percent of its pre-pandemic capacity and plans to raise the level to 80 percent by the year-end. From November, the airline will start a $2 billion retrofit program to equip 120 aircraft with its latest onboard products.

On Aug 3, the airline resumed its roundtrip passenger flights between Dubai and Guangzhou, Guangdong province to twice a week from the previous once a week, and all of the flights will use the double-decker A380 aircraft to cater to a growing travel demand.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn