Wang Yi Holds Talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

On December 12, 2025 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.

Wang Yi said, the UAE is a Middle Eastern country with unique and significant influence. The UAE and China have well-aligned development strategies, similar governance philosophies, and highly complementary economies, making the two countries natural friends and partners. China has always approached bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and promoted the development of bilateral relations within the broader context of overall diplomacy. Over the past 40-plus years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and the UAE have respected and supported each other. The bilateral relationship has withstood the test of the changing international landscape and maintained sound and steady development. In particular, President Xi Jinping and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have established solid mutual trust and friendship, providing the most important political guarantee for the development of bilateral relations and making the top-level design for bilateral cooperation. In recent years, under the guidance of the two heads of state, China-UAE cooperation across various fields has been at the forefront of the times, with tangible results in areas such as energy, trade, investment, finance, Chinese language education, civil aviation and tourism, benefiting the people of both countries. China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with the UAE, deliver on the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state, stay committed to the original intention of establishing diplomatic relations, deepen strategic mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, carry forward the traditional friendship, and jointly elevate the China-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.

Wang Yi emphasized that China supports the UAE in following a development path that suits its national conditions, supports the measures taken by the UAE to safeguard national security and development, and supports the UAE in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs. China is willing to enhance high-level exchanges with the UAE, consolidate political mutual trust and elevate bilateral relations. The two sides should continue to advance Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as investment, oil and gas, and infrastructure, expand cooperation in new energy, scientific and technological innovation, and other emerging fields, explore tripartite cooperation, ensure the success of the Demonstration Park for Industrial Production Cooperation, and jointly achieve high-quality development. The two sides should also promote cooperation in tourism, universities, youth, civil aviation, think tanks and other areas, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and strive to realize the goal of offering Chinese language courses in 200 schools in the UAE at an early date.

Wang Yi noted that the first China-Arab States Summit was successfully held three years ago, sending out a strong signal to the outside world that China and Arab states work in solidarity and cooperation for common development. Next year, China will host the second China-Arab States Summit, and Arab leaders are welcome to attend the event in China. Wang Yi expressed the confidence that with the support of the UAE and other countries, the summit will achieve positive outcomes and elevate the relations between China and Arab countries to a new level. Wang Yi expressed the hope that the UAE will play an active role in promoting the early completion of the negotiations on the free trade agreement between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). China is also ready to enhance policy communication and position coordination with the UAE on multilateral platforms such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the United Nations, jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, defend international fairness and justice, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that over the past 40-plus years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the UAE-China relationship has developed rapidly on the basis of mutual respect and trust, with fruitful cooperation outcomes in various fields and increasingly deepening friendship between the two peoples, setting an example for state-to-state relations. In particular, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and President Xi Jinping have achieved mutual visits in recent years and maintained a good friendship, providing important guidance and injecting strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations. The UAE firmly abides by the one-China principle, steadfastly supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity and realizing national reunification, and resolutely opposes interference in China’s internal affairs by external forces.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, the UAE attaches great importance to its relationship with China and places it at the top of its foreign policy agenda. The UAE is ready to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy, science and technology, education and other fields, jointly explore third-party markets, make good use of the dividends of the mutual visa exemption policy, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and continuously enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The UAE is willing to play an active role in deepening the relations of Arab countries and the GCC with China, and promote the acceleration of the negotiation process of the China-GCC free trade agreement. The UAE highly appreciates the important and constructive role played by China in international and regional affairs and is willing to enhance communication and coordination with China on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, BRICS and G20, so as to make greater contributions to advancing peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and other issues.