China urged the United Arab Emirates to "deepen cooperation" across traditional sectors, including oil and gas, as well as emerging industries.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on a three-nation trip to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan since Friday, made the remarks during a meeting with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.
Wang stressed Beijing's support for the UAE pursuing "a development path suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its national security and development, as well as playing a greater role in international and regional affairs," it said.
China is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, and elevate the level of bilateral relations, he added.
Both sides should advance the Belt and Road Initiative by deepening cooperation in traditional industries such as investment, energy, and infrastructure, expand collaboration in emerging areas, and establishing a production-capacity cooperation park to support high-quality development.
Wang also expressed willingness to strengthen communication and coordination on multilateral platforms to uphold multilateralism and free trade.
"The UAE is a country in the Middle East with unique importance and influence. China's and the UAE's development strategies are compatible, the governance philosophies are similar, and the economies are highly complementary, making the two countries natural friends and partners," Wang said.
Al Nahyan, in turn, said that the UAE "firmly adheres to the one-China principle, firmly supports China in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and in achieving national reunification, and resolutely opposes external interference in China's internal affairs," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.
He said the UAE is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China, expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy, science and technology, education, and other fields.
He also expressed willingness to deepen communication and coordination with China on multilateral platforms to promote "regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity," as well as playing a positive role in deepening relations between the regional countries and China.
The two sides also discussed the situation in the Middle East.
China will host the second China-Arab States Summit next year.
