Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Good evening.

 

It is my great pleasure to be present at tonight's welcoming gala of MeetChina 2015. I would like to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Arab Emirates, our welcome to friends from tourism and media sectors.

This has been my second posting to the UAE and the first one was from 2002 to 2006. Places like the Emirates Palace and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, now popular among Chinese tourists, were not built then. Even the construction of Burj Khalifa and Atlantis was only under the moot. Then, the UAE was not a tourist destination for Chinese citizens as most Chinese came to the UAE for business and labor. Vast expanses of sand and scorching heat is by no means attractive to tourists.

In the last decade, however, the UAE has achieved marked economic growth thanks to its unique geographical location and open and accommodating development strategy. People from all across the globe are flocking in. Nowadays, the UAE boasts residents from almost 200 countries, including more than 200, 000 Chinese. As friendship between China and the UAE grows, there have been more and more exchanges in all areas. In 2004, the two governments signed an agreement, according to which the UAE became a tourist destination for the Chinese. Ever since, the number of Chinese tourists has been on the rise gradually, hitting around 500,000 in 2014. Tourism has become an important bridge connecting the two peoples and an important part of bilateral people-to-people exchanges. Meet China 2015 is sure to provide a valuable platform for relevant departments and enterprises from the two countries to explore tourism projects and plan for the future together.

The UAE is known as a pearl of the Gulf region, showcasing both old traditions and modern civilization. Here we can see blue waters, vast desert, amazing natural scenery and world-renowned human scenic spots. Here we can see elegant Abu Dhabi, dynamic Dubai, culturally rich Sharjah and northern Emirates with diversified scenery. You will be shocked by Burj Khalifa, which rises right up into the sky. You will also see hospitable, kind-hearted and brave locals as well as a large number of industrious and intelligent foreign nationals.

As Chinese and foreign blockbusters, media and live shows do their best to illustrate the UAE, more and more Chinese tourists are coming to the UAE. The Chinese Embassy and the Consulate General in Dubai have been dealing with many cases regarding Chinese tourists. Some of them suffered losses or were even held in detention as they violated laws and regulations due to ignorance. Therefore, it is my hope that Chinese tourism enterprises and media will be responsible in putting Chinese tourists in the know of local laws and regulations and telling them to respect religious beliefs and customs, pay attention to their behavior and demonstrate the traditional virtues and good morality of the Chinese people.  The Chinese Embassy and the Consulate General in Dubai will continue to put people first and provide excellent consular service to Chinese travelling and working in the UAE. You are more than welcome to follow our website and public we-chat account, on which we will provide latest information and consular notice on an irregular basis, thus providing better and quick service to our citizens and creating a warm atmosphere for them.

Last but not least, I wish MeetChina 2015 a great success.

 

Thanks.