Mohammad played vital role in boosting UAE-China ties, says Hu

Beijing: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday afternoon met Hu Jintao, Chinese President, who warmly welcomed the UAE leader and hoped that the visit would further boost relations between the UAE and China.

The Chinese President described Shaikh Mohammad as “an old friend of the Chinese leadership and people''. He said Shaikh Mohammad played a major role in boosting bilateral ties between the two countries.

Shaikh Mohammad said it was a great honour for him to be in Beijing, meet the Chinese president and know about the Chinese people. The UAE leadership and people have great respect for the Chinese leadership and people, he said.

The UAE Vice-President lauded the volume of trade between his country and China and the outstanding economic ties between the two friendly countries.

He presented an official invitation to the Chinese president to visit the UAE. He said President Hu's visit to the UAE last January was not official. “I'm hereby presenting to your Excellency this official invitation,'' he said.

Present at the meeting were Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports Authority and President of the Emirates Group, Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimi, Minister of State, a number of Dubai officials and Mohammad Rashid Al Bout, UAE ambassador to China.