The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has always participated in BRICS cooperation.
In September 2021, the UAE, together with Uruguay and Bangladesh, became the first batch of new NDB members after the expansion of the bank.
Six years ago, when China proposed the "BRICS+" cooperation model, the UAE was the first to respond and participate, demonstrating its support for BRICS cooperation with practical actions.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE.
In recent years, they have become more closely connected, with frequent cooperation in energy infrastructure, engineering contracting, scientific and technological innovation, aerospace and bio-medicine.
According to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, by the first half of 2024, it had about 5,400 Chinese companies registered as active members, showing the strong interest of the Chinese business community in Dubai.
From 2003 to 2023, UAE investment flows to China amounted to 11.9 billion USD in total, covering sectors such as telecommunications, renewable energy, transport and storage, hotels and tourism, and rubber. Chinese investment flows to the UAE totaled 7.7 billion USD during the same period.
The two countries have more than 148 bilateral agreements and MoUs in various fields.
The UAE joined the BRI in 2018 and its commitment to economic development and international cooperation is highlighted by its participation in the initiative's ninth summit in Hong Kong in September, themed "Building a Connected, Innovative and Green Belt and Road." Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE minister of state for AI, digital economy and remote work applications in the UAE, said the UAE and China are models of economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges. More and more companies from all over the world have chosen the UAE and are going global from the UAE. "We look forward to more Chinese companies using the UAE as a platform to achieve greater development," he said.