Beijing Daily New Media

On July 5, Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, met with Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) (equivalent to the Abu Dhabi Municipal Government), and his delegation in Beijing. The Letter of Intent on the Establishment of Sister-City Relationship Between Beijing and Abu Dhabi, signed by both parties, not only marks the official start of a sister-city relationship, but also opens a new chapter of exchanges between Beijing and the Middle Eastern cities. The two cities will prioritize exchanges and cooperation in areas such as urban planning, smart city, and sci-tech innovation.

China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are comprehensive strategic partners. In recent years, thanks to the personal commitment and strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, China-UAE relations have seen comprehensive, rapid, and in-depth development, with fruitful cooperation in various fields. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE and the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, covers an area of 972 square kilometers and has a population of about 1.7 million, with a well-developed economy and rich financial resources. Historically, Abu Dhabi was at the crossroads of the land and maritime Silk Roads and an important transit point for Chinese commodities to the Middle East and Africa. In the new era, Abu Dhabi continues to play an important role in promoting Belt and Road cooperation.

2022 Zhongguancun-Abu Dhabi Meeting on Exchange of Business Opportunities

Official contacts between the two cities date back to 2008. The two sides had extensive exchanges and cooperation in areas like government services, urban planning, and infrastructure construction. In May this year, Mayor Yin Yong and his delegation visited the UAE, reaching broad consensus with Shorafa to seek deeper friendly exchanges between the two cities. The two sides agreed to increase interaction in such fields as aligning urban development strategies and modernizing urban governance, especially in promoting mutual learning in smart transportation to usher in a new stage in bilateral relations.

As a Chinese saying goes, "Distance cannot separate true friends who remain close even when thousands of miles apart." Currently, Beijing has 55 sister cities on five continents. In recent years, along with the progress in improving its role as a center for international exchanges, Beijing has intensified interactions, practical exchanges, and mutually beneficial cooperation with these cities. With the aim of "building a globally influential center for international exchanges with Chinese characteristics", Beijing will better serve the diplomatic endeavors of the Party and the country, as well as the capital's high-level opening-up and high-quality development while developing its sister-city relations.

(Screenshot from Beijing Daily New Media)