Xiamen, the United Arab Emirates to strengthen ties

Han Jingyi, right, vice-mayor of Xiamen, meets with the United Arab Emirates ambassador to China June 1. [Photo/fo.xm.gov.cn]

Further cooperation on culture and tourism was discussed between the vice-mayor of Xiamen and the United Arab Emirates ambassador to China during a meeting June 1.

Han Jingyi briefed the ambassador on the basic facts of Xiamen's economic and social development.

The vice-mayor said that Xiamen has always sought to take part in the Belt and Road Initiative and he hoped that the two sides could seize the important opportunity to strengthen their cooperation on trade, culture and tourism.

The ambassador described Xiamen as the Garden of Eden, and said he was impressed by its beautiful environment and achievements in economic and social development.

He said he is willing to advance cooperation with Xiamen under the Belt and Road Initiative to bring benefit to the peoples of the two sides.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), renowned for its huge oil reserves, is a federal absolute monarchy sovereign state in Western Asia. The UAE is China's largest export market and second-largest trade partner in the Arab world. Trade cooperation between Xiamen and the UAE has maintained steady growth in recent years.