China and the United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations on November 1, 1984. Since then, the political, economic, and trade relations between the two countries have made a continuous development.

1. Political Relations

Major visits paid by Chinese officials to the United Arab Emirates are as follows: Vice Premier Yao Yilin (November, 1985); State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wu Xueqian (December, 1985); Vice Premier Tian Jiyun (March, 1989), Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Zheng Tuobin (November, 1989), President Yang Shangkun (December, 1989), Acting Minister of Culture He Jingzhi (October, 1991), Vice Premier Li Langqing (July, 1993), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Peiyao (November, 1994), State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Luo Gan (August,1995), Vice Premier Wu Bangguo (May, 1996), Vice Chairman of the Military Commission of the Central committee of the CPC, State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Chi Haotian (June, 1996), Minister of Communications Huang Zhengdong (October, 1996), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Tomur Dawamat (December, 1996), Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Li Ruihuan (May, 1999), Vice Foreign Minister Ji Peiding (January, 2000), Assistant Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Xu Bingjin (March, 2000) and Vice Governor of Sichuan Province Li Dachang (November, 2000), Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Sun Guangxiang (November 2001), and State Councilor Wu Yi (March, 2002), etc.

Major visits by the he United Arab Emirates to China include: Foreign Minister Rashid (November, 1987), Minister of Economy and Commerce Jarwan (November, 1988), Minister of Health Hamed (February, 1989), President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Zayed (May, 1990), Member of the Federal Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah Sheik Sultan (May, 1991), Speaker of the Federal National Council Muharbi (May, 1996), Minister of Planning Phumed (April, 2001), Minister of Information and Culture Abdullah (June 2001), Minister of Justice, Islamic and Religious Foundation Zahari (May, 2002), and Minister of Economy and Trade Fashim (June, 2002), etc.

2. Trade and Economic Relations

In recent years, the bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and the United Arab Emirates has witnessed a smooth development. In 2002, the trade volume between the two countries amounted to US$3.895 billion, of which China export was US$3.45 billion and import US$445 million. China's main exports to the United Arab Emirates are textile products, clothes, light industrial products, products made of the five metals (gold, silver, copper, iron and tin), handicrafts and machinery, etc. China mainly imports from the United Arab Emirates aluminum ingot, chemical fertilizer, petroleum and polytene, etc. In recent years, the labor service cooperation between the two countries is developing from service contract towards project subcontract and general contract. The fields of bilateral cooperation include construction, factories, shops, medical care centers and sailors. In 1985, China and the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement on economic, trade, and technological cooperation. The agreement on the Protection of Investment and the agreement on avoidance of double taxation were signed between the two countries in 1993. In November 1985, the two countries established a Joint Commission of Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation. The Commission has ever since convened four meetings.

3. Cooperation in Culture, Health and Aviation

During his visit to China, President Sheikh Zayed of the United Arab Emirates provided donations to China for the establishment of the UAE Arabic Teaching and Arabic Islam Research Center in Beijing Foreign Studies University. The Yuehua Offset Printing Factory of China Islam Association in Dachang County, in North China's Hebei Province was also built with the aid of these donations. China has set up the branch of Xinhua News Agency and offices for People's Daily and Economic Daily in the United Arab Emirates. The two countries have also carried out fruitful cooperation in the field of health At present, China has more than 60 nurses in the United Arab Emirates and has established China Medical Centers in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, and Ajman. In addition, non-governmental exchanges between the two countries also remain very active. Some Chinese go to the United Arab Emirates on a self-funded basis and are mainly engaged in sports coaching, services and business.

The agreements signed by the two sides include: Sino-UAE Agreement on Cultural Cooperation (1989), Agreement on Medical and Health Technical Cooperation Between the Ministries of Health of China and the United Arab Emirates, Protocol on China's Sending Doctors to the United Arab Emirates (1992), Protocol on China's Further Sending Nurses to the United Arab Emirates (1992), Sino-UAE Agreement on Judiciary Extradition (May 2002) and Sino-UAE Agreement on Information and Cultural Cooperation (2001).

China and the United Arab Emirates have also carried out cooperate in the field of aviation. The two countries have signed Sino-Sharjah Bilateral Aviation Agreement (1980) and Sino-UAE Agreement on Civil Air Transportation (1989).