On the morning of July 22, 2019, Premier Li Keqiang met at the Great Hall of the People with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who was in China for a state visit.

Li Keqiang said, the UAE is China's important cooperative partner in the Middle East and the Gulf region. Since the establishment of diplomatic relationship 35 years ago, China-UAE relations and cooperation have been carried on steadily, and the two sides have respected and supported each other on issues regarding respective core interests and major concerns. President Xi Jinping paid a successful visit to the UAE last year, during which bilateral relations were upgraded to the comprehensive strategic partnership. The Chinese side is willing to work with the UAE side to continue to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance the synergy of development strategies and deepen all-around cooperation, so as to better benefit the two countries and the two peoples.

Li Keqiang pointed out, economies of the two countries are highly complementary, with broad cooperation prospects. China has a huge market and evolving industries, and is currently expanding its opening up and focusing on a market-oriented, legalized and internationalized business environment. China and the UAE have already had much fully-fledged cooperation. The UAE side is welcome to increase sovereign wealth fund and private capital investment in China for more mutually beneficial and win-win results. The Chinese side stands ready to work with countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council including the UAE to jointly push forward free trade zone negotiation and bring more convenience to boost trade liberalization.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, the UAE-China friendship is unbreakable and fruitful achievements have been reaped in bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. The UAE is confident about the prospect of the Chinese economy and stands ready to deepen cooperation with the Chinese side in sectors including energy, finance, science and technology and aviation, and increase investment in China in a bid to advance bilateral relations towards broader and deeper realms.

Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the meeting.