CHINA / DIPLOMACY
China, UAE to mutually recognize health codes, expand cooperation
Published: Mar 29, 2021 01:00 PM
Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with his counterpart of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on March 28, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with his counterpart of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on March 28, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)



China and UAE have agreed to expand their cooperation scope, including mutual recognition of health codes and counter-terrorism efforts. 

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while on a two-day visit to the UAE, spoke with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday and with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Sunday, stressing that China is ready to work with UAE to continuously innovate cooperation models and expand the scope of cooperation, seeking greater progress in pushing their comprehensive strategic partnership forward in the new area.

The Chinese diplomat said to Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed on Saturday that China and UAE will continue to strengthen cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and actively explore cooperation on vaccines to the benefit of more countries.

The phase-III trial of the COVID-19 vaccine, jointly carried out by China and the UAE, has set a record for multi-national and large-scale clinical trials, and made an important contribution to promoting international anti-coronavirus cooperation, the Chinese diplomat said to his counterpart on Sunday.

The Chinese diplomat also urged the two sides to promote better alignment between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the UAE's 50-year Development Plan, and deepen practical cooperation in areas such as energy, finance and high-tech.

The two sides will work together to promote international recognition of health QR codes and step up counter-terrorism and de-radicalization cooperation, Wang said. 

The two sides reached an agreement in principle on the health code's mutual recognition. After the talks, the two ministers took part in an online ceremony to launch a joint vaccine liquid bottling production line.

2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and also the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UAE.

Wang said to Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed that China is willing to work with the UAE to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, make every effort to successfully build bilateral cooperation projects in various fields and push for greater progress of the China-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.

China is willing to work with UAE to uphold non-interference in other countries' internal affairs as a basic norm in international relations and uphold the principle of sovereign equality of states enshrined in the UN Charter, Wang said. 

The UAE fully supports China in hosting a successful Beijing Winter Olympic Games and looks forward to continuously strengthening bilateral relations, and welcomes China playing a bigger role in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East, the Crown Prince said, according to Chinese foreign ministry website. 

China has put forward a five-point initiative for achieving security and stability in the Middle East, and hopes that regional countries will uphold the spirit of independence, explore a security framework that meets regional needs, and find a development path that suits their national conditions, Wang added.

Global Times