H.E. Li Xuhang
Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai
Friendship, which derives from close contacts between peoples, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. I heard a true story about Dubai people’s police shortly after I took office as Consul General of China in Dubai. The story goes like this: a Chinese girl living in Dubai experienced her car breakdown when driving somewhere in Dubai. She got off, checked her car and called both 999 and car rescue for help. A Dubai policeman arrived first in minutes. It was an extremely hot day with beautiful sunshine. Upon arrival, he arranged the Chinese girl to stay inside the police car and called the car rescue again. Meanwhile, this policeman stood outside his car all the time. He did not leave until the car rescue men came and towed the girl’s car away.
To tell the truth, I am deeply moved by the courtesy and professionalism of Dubai policemen who are committed to serving people. They stand ready helping not only the Chinese nationals, but also other nationals of nearly 200 countries who are living and working here, and definitely conveys the confidence of Dubai as well as the passion, openness and tolerance of the UAE.
I am convinced that this heart-warming story will encourage more and more foreign friends to live and work in Dubai and the rest emirates of the UAE and bring new energy and vitality for this amazing country’s sustainable development.
Confidence is much more valuable than gold. The relationship between China and the UAE is now in their best period in history. It is my great honor and delight to assume office as Consul General of China in Dubai at this time. Deeply impressed by that kindhearted policeman I come to love this country and its people as time goes on. In China, police are cordially referred to “the people’s police ” according to my memory. So, my friends, don’t you think that the development philosophies of our two countries are similar?
More than that, the friendship between the peoples of China and the UAE dates back to ancient times. Our ancestors started trade through the ancient Silk Road well over 2,000 years ago and forged a friendship that remains vibrant to this day. With the opening of trade routes at sea in the 7th century, Chinese silk and porcelain were marketed to the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa and Europe while Arab spices and pearls were brought to Asia through the Indian Ocean. In 2012, China and the UAE established a strategic partnership. The UAE is the first Gulf state to have done so with China. Thanks to the strategic partnership, our bilateral cooperation has embarked on a fast track and covered more areas. With successful mutual state visits by our leaders, our practical cooperation has been thriving in energy, industrial cooperation, high-end & new technology, finance and people-to-people exchanges. It’s crystal clear that China and the UAE share the same development ideas and ambitions. We are strategic partners who truly trust each other, collaborative partners who pursue win-win outcomes and mutual benefits, interactive partners who learn from each other, and innovative partners who champion result-oriented actions.
The new era of the China-UAE relations has come on stage. Standing on the heights of history, China and the UAE have made achievements attracting worldwide attention. We are proud that both of us have an diligent and creative people who never give up on their dreams and bearing in mind the Two Centenary Goals of China and the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan. We successfully coordinated with each other on our Centenary Plans in the new Silk Road. With the cooperation in research, development and application of nuclear power technology, infrastructure construction, equipment manufacturing being expended, the UAE has been the first supporting country of China’s Belt and Road cooperation in the Middle East. Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the centenary goal of the China-UAE relations with rich contents when having talks with His highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi during his state visit to China this July.
As time marches on, the world changes and evolves into a new one. We can not linger on the glory of history any longer. We are both convinced that the development aims to benefit the peoples of our two countries and the rest of the world as well. We should work hand in hand to meet the new challenges and climb the new high.
As we all know, the year 2019 is a year of double happiness for China and the UAE.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. New China has built its grand and magnificent cause of modernization that the western nations undertook for centuries. Over the past 7 decades, China has remarkably achieved a lot in governance, economic and social development, world peace keeping and many other areas. I am absolutely proud to say that China’s development has achieved great results and Chinese people’s living standard improved enormously, which will be beneficial to both China and the rest of the world.
This year also marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and the UAE. The past 35 years have witnessed a golden age of our solid traditional friendship and active people-to-people exchanges. The past 35 years have also highlighted a robust expansion of our economies in a development miracle occurring on both ends of the Eurasian continent. China was ever and is now still a strong driving force for world economic growth and the UAE has become an oasis of development for the Arab world, setting a typical example of opening-up in the Middle East. Although our two countries are geographically apart, we are treating each other just like family members. We share same ideas and interests as bosom friends who help and complement each other, and we are important partners who always communicate and coordinate with each other on regional and international affairs.
Our people are hard-working and brave. Chinese President Xi Jinping ever said that “empty talk will lead the country astray, and hard work can rejuvenate the nation”. An Arab proverb goes that “words are leaves and actions are fruits”. I believe that under the guidance of both leaders, the China-UAE cooperation will become a leading one in the Middle East in terms of breadth, depth and outcomes of cooperation, which definitely benefit our two peoples and create more world miracles.