China's envoy to the UAE has said the Emirates has a key role to play as his country looks to increase its presence in the region.
Zhang Yiming, the Chinese ambassador to the UAE, said President Sheikh Mohamed’s recent state visit to China ushered in new avenues of co-operation with the Arab world.
Sheikh Mohamed met China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing last month to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Mr Yiming, who was part of the meetings in Beijing, spoke of a new starting point for China-UAE relations that would be the foundation for stronger ties with the wider Arab world.
China's ambassador to the UAE
“The UAE has a special and important influence in the Arab world and is a regional security oasis and development highland,” Mr Yiming told The National in an interview.
“As a witness of the meetings, I am very inspired and confident about the future of China-UAE relations.
“China-UAE bilateral co-operation is an important part of China-Arab collective co-operation. The two complement each other.”
He said China would work with the UAE to deepen co-operation in the region.
40th anniversary of relations between nations
The 40th year of friendship is being celebrated by both China and the UAE.
“China-UAE relations are comprehensive and in-depth, since the establishment of diplomatic relations 40 years ago,” Mr Yiming said.
“The bilateral relations have made great progress and will be at the forefront of China's relations with the Arab countries.”
The UAE is China’s largest trading partner in the Arab world with trade and investment across energy, logistics, tourism, technology, petrochemicals and space.
China is the UAE’s top trading partner with non-oil bilateral trade worth Dh264.2 billion ($72billion) in 2022.
The UAE is also the major destination for Chinese investment in the Arab world, with investment into the Emirates crossing $1.7 billion last year, accounting for 60 per cent of China’s total investment in the region.
UAE investment in China increased by 120 per cent last year – making up 90 per cent of Arab nations’ investment in China, according to official figures.
Mr Yiming said Sheikh Mohamed’s first state visit to China as the head of the UAE was a significant milestone in bilateral ties and marked “a journey of continuing friendship, deepening co-operation and opening up the future”.
“During the visit, President Xi Jinping met with President [Sheikh] Mohamed many times, comprehensively reviewing and summarising the glorious development history and valuable experience of China-UAE relations over the past 40 years,” he said.
“They looked forward to the bright vision of the next golden 40 years and discussed promoting the comprehensive development of China-UAE relations from a new starting point.”
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum.
The ambassador said Mr Xi outlined his vision during an address before the forum where he laid out “a grand blueprint for China-Arab collective co-operation in the new era and injecting strong impetus into accelerating the construction of a closer China-Arab community with a shared future”.
Sheikh Mohamed, along with Mr Xi and the heads of state of Bahrain, Egypt and Tunisia spoke at the opening ceremony of the conference last month in Beijing.
Relations between the UAE and China pre-date the establishment of official diplomatic ties in 1984, with Beijing recognising the formation of the Emirates in 1971.
UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan visited China in 1990.
President Xi visited the UAE in 2018 after which the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was declared.
The UAE is also a strategic partner in China’s Belt and Road initiative and will serve as a key gateway to the Middle East region.
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Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
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Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
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The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
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Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
LILO & STITCH
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Rating: 4.5/5
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
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Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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Teams
India (playing XI): Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami
South Africa (squad): Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second
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Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships
2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds
2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58
2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified
2012 London Olympics 9.63
2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77
2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79
2016 Rio Olympics 9.81
2017 London World Championships 9.95
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• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain
• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister
• Could the UAE drive India's economy?
• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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