UAE is China's gateway to the region: Mohammed

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on Wednesday received Xu Caihou, Vice-Chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), who is on a visit to the UAE.
 
The Chinese senior military official conveyed to Sheikh Mohammed China's appreciation of the UAE's humanitarian assistance to the population of Chinese areas hit by the earthquake in 2008.
 
Sheikh Mohammed and Xu Caihou discussed bilateral and regional matters of common concern.
 
Sheikh Mohammed stressed that just as the UAE is China's trade gateway to the Arab countries, China is the UAE's window to countries in Eastern and Western Asia.
 
"The UAE is keenly interested in increasing trade with China as exchange between the two countries reached $30 billion in the current year, up from $22bn in 2009," Sheikh Mohammed noted.
 
For his part, the Chinese official hailed the UAE's role in promoting regional peace, stability and security which "Beijing politically supports both regionally and internationally." Military cooperation between the UAE and China and the exchange of military expertise and training were among the topics discussed by Sheikh Mohammed and Caihou.
 
Caihou also expressed China's appreciation of Sheikh Mohammed's historic visit to China in 2008 noting that it strengthened friendly relations and cooperation with the UAE.
 
Present at the meeting were Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates Group; Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State; Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shebani, Director of the Court of Dubai Ruler; Lt General Musabbah Rashid Al Fattan, Director of the Office of Sheikh Mohammed; Maj Gen Mohammed Abdul Raheem Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary of the Defence Ministry; Chinese Consul General in Dubai Zhan Jingbao, Chinese Military Attache at the Chinese Embassy and other Chinese military officials.