The Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates, Shanghai
After the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1984, the relations between the two have historically been mounted on high-level trade. In 2007, China-UAE bilateral trade scaled new highs, exceeding $19.4 billion and indicating a growth rate of 41 percent.
There are also some 2,000 Chinese firms operating in the UAE and a large community of Chinese in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, the UAE is China's second largest trading partner in the Gulf region and the largest in terms of buying Chinese products.
On August, 2009, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a federal government decree to open a Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. The move is within the framework of the existing excellent relations between the UAE and China.
The UAE has an embassy in Beijing and a consulate in Hong Kong. Shanghai, which is the biggest and most populous city in China, is also China's economic capital.
According to Wen Jiabao, "the UAE is one of China's most important economic partners in the Gulf region, serving as a transfer center for Chinese products to the Middle East and African markets." He also encouraged Emirati businesses to invest in China and Chinese companies to invest in the UAE, noting that the expansion of bilateral cooperation facilitates the fundamental interests of both nations.
The building of the UAE Consulate General in Shanghai is located in the heart of the city near by the municipal government institutions, and shopping centers. The building is characterized by its style of Arabic and Chinese architecture. It is a message of love, kindness and tolerance from the UAE people to the friendly Chinese nation and a symbol for friendship and co-operation between both countries.
