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WORLD NEWS Friday 20 July 2018
Chinese president visits UAE amid push to increase influence

By DAVID RISING Trump golf course. It earlier
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- won a $130 million contract
ates (AP) — Chinese Presi- to build apartment tow-
dent Xi Jinping arrived in ers near the first Trump golf
Abu Dhabi on Thursday on course, which President
his first trip to the United Donald Trump's sons Don-
Arab Emirates as the lead- ald Jr. and Eric opened in
er of China at a time when February 2017. Trump's ties
the two countries look to to DAMAC's owner, billion-
strengthen trade ties and aire businessman Hussain
expand investment. Sajwani, have raised eth-
It is Xi's first trip abroad since ics and security questions
he was appointed to a as the American president
second five-year term as did not divest himself from
president in March when his eponymous develop-
he made a historic power ment company when tak-
grab by moving to abol- ing office. However, the
ish presidential term limits, Trump Organization has
allowing him to rule for as said it won't make new for-
long as he wants. The visit eign deals while its name-
also comes as China push- sake is president. China
es to expand its influence has expanded its influence
in a region where it sources among Arab states both for
much of its energy needs. In this Wednesday, July 18, 2018 photo, sign reading "UAE Chinese Week" in Chinese and Arabic economic purposes and to
China and the UAE con- is projected onto the Bus Al Arab luxury hotel in Dubai. counter the influence of
duct some $50 billion in an- Associated Press Washington and Europe. q
nual trade and ahead of
the trip, the UAE's ambassa- in a statement. "The UAE-
dor to China said the coun- China relationship is rooted
try hopes that will double in the principles of mutual
over the next decade. respect, constructive dia-
Just ahead of Xi's arrival, logue and meaningful co-
the state-owned Abu Dha- operation to achieve their
bi National Oil Company common interests in a vari-
announced it had award- ety of sectors."
ed contracts worth $1.6 bil- Ahead of Xi's arrival, the
lion to the China National country kicked off an offi-
Petroleum Company, to cial "UAE-China Week" fea-
conduct a massive off- turing cultural events and
shore and onshore seismic entertainment, which offi-
survey. cials say they plan on mak-
CNPC, China's largest ing an annual event.
state-run oil company, al- Developer Emaar also an-
ready owns interests in both nounced plans for what it
onshore and offshore oil said would be the biggest
concessions in the UAE. Chinatown in the Mideast:
The UAE, home to oil-rich a development of 6 square
Abu Dhabi and the sky- kilometers (2.3 square
scraper skylines of Dubai, miles) that will be located
also hosts some 200,000 10 minutes from the Dubai
Chinese expatriate work- International Airport.
ers, according to Emirati Construction is also a big-
government statistics. In re- ticket market for Chinese
cent years, the UAE has fo- firms. In Dubai especially,
cused on boosting Chinese its massive Sheikh Zayed
tourism to its seven-sheikh- Road has seen a number
dom federation. of quickly built Chinese
Some 1 million Chinese tour- overpasses spring up over
ists visited in 2017, boosted its dozen lanes. Chinese-
by the UAE offering visas built high-rises also have
on arrival. Long-haul car- become increasingly com-
riers Emirates and Etihad mon. The state-run China
provide a crucial airlink be- State Construction Engi-
tween East and West. neering Corp. also has
"Our relationship with China contracts with private in-
is a long-term strategic one terests as well. Most notice-
that encompasses a multi- ably, it won a $19.6 million
tude of aspects; political, contract in June for "ma-
economic, cultural, social, jor road and infrastructure
tourism, among others," work" at a development by
UAE Minister of State Sul- DAMAC Properties that will
tan Ahmed Al Jaber said surround Dubai's second