UAE Prime Minister meets Chinese Premier as Belt and Road event gets under way
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is in Beijing for China's 'project of the century' initiative.
Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday as an event to promote Beijing's Belt and Road megaproject got under way.
The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai is among the leaders attending the three-day summit.
China is showcasing its 'project of the century' - a sweeping infrastructure drive aiming to expand trade links across the globe.
Leaders from 37 countries are expected to attend. Among them is Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
The two men discussed a new phase of cooperation in the fields of economy, culture, tourism and education, and promoting investment opportunities, Dubai Government Media Office said.
Sheikh Mohammed is accompanied by Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Co-operation, Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the Minister of State and CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Group, and and Sultan Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy.
The delegation also includes Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chief executive officer of the Emirates Group, and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority and CEO of Mubadala, the strategic investment arm of Abu Dhabi.
The Belt and Road Initiative is one of Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature policies, combining an 'economic belt' on land and a "maritime silk road" to link China with South-East, South and Central Asia, the Arabian Gulf, North Africa and then finally with Europe.
Trade between the UAE and China rose by 15 per cent to $52 billion in 2017, making China one of the UAE’s biggest trading partners.
