DUBAI, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan is expected to strengthen the UAE-China comprehensive strategic partnership, a senior UAE official said on Monday.
Wang is currently on a visit to the UAE that started on Sunday, following his visits to Israel, Palestine and Egypt.
Anwar Gargash, UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that the UAE is honored to welcome the visit of the Chinese vice president and the Chinese delegation.
He recalled that Wang's visit came after the "historic visit" to the UAE by Chinese President Xi Jinping in July, during which the two countries agreed to build a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Gargash said the two visits by Chinese leaders to the UAE in such a short period show the great driving force behind the UAE-China relations.
He said that Wang's visit will give a new boost to the UAE-China friendly ties, as the two sides could follow up on the important results of President Xi's visit and discuss the latest developments of regional issues of common concern.
On the one hand, the UAE expects the two sides to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership being built, Gargash said.
On the other hand, the UAE looks forward to exploring more ways of enhancing bilateral practical cooperation within the framework of China's "creative" and "visionary" Belt and Road Initiative, he added.
Gargash noted that the UAE would like to congratulate China on the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up policy, which has achieved huge success and brought about tremendous changes to the country.
The UAE official said that the UAE welcomes and looks forward to receiving more Chinese tourists to the Gulf state, as the two countries have adopted the visa-free policy for each other's citizens.
China has emerged as the fastest growing source market for the UAE tourism. In 2017, the number of Chinese tourists to the UAE exceeded 1 million.
