President Xi's Diplomatic Tour: Xi to visit UAE, Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa, Mauritius

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02:56

We begin with an upcoming, major diplomatic tour by Chinese President Xi Jinping starting this week. It will be his first trip overseas since taking on his second term in March.

For his first stop, President Xi will be the first Chinese head of state to visit the United Arab Emirates in 29 years. He will also be making his fourth visit to Africa, going to Senegal, Rwanda and South Africa, where he will attend the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg. President Xi will also have a stopover in Mauritius. Wang Tongxuan has more on what to expect from his first stop.

As a gateway between the East and West, the United Arab Emirates' geographical location makes it an ideal hub in China's revived ancient Silk Road plan.

The UAE's Minister of Economy says the country will actively participate in the scheme. It hopes to find more opportunities for cooperation with China as the Arab nation diversifies its economic structure.

The UAE is one of the founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank -- the China-initiated multilateral development bank which aims to provide funding for vital infrastructure projects throughout Asia.

Last year, bilateral trade stood at 41 billion US dollars, making China one of the UAE's top trading partners. Investment areas span a wide range, with oil and gas, clean energy, finance, and infrastructure topping the list.

More than a million Chinese visited the UAE last year. The two countries now have a mutual visa exemption.

President Xi Jinping's trip to the UAE is the first by a Chinese head of state in 29 years. The Chinese Ambassador to the UAE Ni Jian said it's of "political, historic and strategic significance for bilateral relations".

After his visit to the UAE, President Xi will go on to Africa, with stops in Senegal, Rwanda and South Africa. Xi Jinping will also attend the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg. A Chinese foreign ministry official says the summit will deal with the challenges posed by recent policy changes in Western developed countries.

It's widely expected that, at the summit, President Xi will urge the emerging economies to join forces against US tariffs.