According to the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) Secretariat, the United Arab Emirates has confirmed to participate in the 21st CAEXPO as the Special Partner Country.
It is the very first time that a GCC member to joint this trade event as the Special Partner Country, further expanding the CAEXPO’s “Circle of Friends”.
The CAEXPO Secretariat revealed that the UAE will join the 21st CAEXPO to be held in Nanning, Guangxi, China from 24 to 28 September 2024 with a delegation led by a Vice-Minister rank official, and the UAE national pavilion will be set up.
2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China-UAE diplomatic relations. The UAE’s participation as the 21st CAEXPO Special Partner Country is another important stride made by the CAEXPO in expanding its cooperation region from China and ASEAN to other BRI countries.
Since China and the UAE established diplomatic relations in 1984, the two countries have carried out extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in politics, economy, culture and other fields. In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and the UAE has flourished, with China consistently ranking as the UAE’s largest trading partner and the UAE being China’s largest non-oil trading partner and the largest investment destination in the Arab region. Both countries seek to strengthen their economic relations and increase trade exchange to $200 billion by 2030.
Meanwhile, the UAE enjoys increasingly closer cooperation and exchanges with the ASEAN countries in trade and investment. It has launched or completed negotiations on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) with multiple ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Committee convened in Abu Dhabi on March 15, 2024. The meeting underscored the significance of the UAE’s involvement in enhancing cooperation across various sectors such as economy, trade, investment, climate change, and clean energy and emphasized the importance of joint projects and initiatives outlined in the UAE-ASEAN action plan for 2024-2028. Both sides agree to strengthen strategic cooperation in vital sectors.
Guangxi, the CAEXPO’s permanent host province, is a gateway for China's opening-up and cooperation with ASEAN, a pivot that links the Belt and Road, and a hub of strategic importance along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. The CAEXPO Co-organizers of the ASEAN countries express their welcome for the UAE’s participation as the Special Partner Country 2024. It is expected that the UAE will fully showcase its business opportunities and development potential at the upcoming 21st CAEXPO, to further promote its economic and trade ties with both China and ASEAN and deepen and expand regional exchanges cooperation.