Beijing, The first China-Arab summit is an important milestone in the history of relations between the two peoples, UAE Ambassador to China Ali Al Dhaheri, has said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua news agency.

Al Dhaheri Said that, in recent years, the political and strategic mutual trust between China and the United Arab Emirates has continuously improved.

He noted that the UAE was among the first to join the Belt and Road Initiative and now serves as “the principal logistics hub for the Belt and Road Initiative in the Middle East and North Africa region”.

The ambassador said that the UAE accounts for over 60 percent of China’s exports to the region, with China being the UAE’s largest trading partner, and the UAE being home to more than 6,000 Chinese companies, WAM reports.

When asked about the role of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which was recently held, in developing China-Arab relations, Al Dhaheri said, “The 20th CPC National Congress demonstrated China’s roadmap of development for the years to come,”

He added that this will help the world in dealing with arising challenges, given the status of today’s China as the growth engine of the global economy.

He said that the UAE will “actively work with China to strengthen multilateralism and pursue a more peaceful and prosperous world for mankind.”

“The Arab world and China are both well-known for their rich culture and long-standing histories. It is, therefore, no surprise that our two civilizations have had deep historical connections since ancient times.

Source: Bahrain News Agency