My dear Chinese friends,

First of all, I would like to extend my best wishes and congratulations to all of you, as we prepare to embrace the joy of the Spring Festival in the upcoming Year of the Rabbit. As a close friend of China, the UAE is always delighted to celebrate this important festival together with the Chinese people. The unique charm of the Spring Festival is renowned all over the world, as it embodies the spirit of peace, friendship, affection and renewal. It is no surprise that its time-honoured traditions have spread internationally and have become popular in the UAE as well.

My dear friends, it would be no understatement to say that the last few years have been challenging. Yet, in spite of the lingering pandemic, the UAE and China have prospered together through our comprehensive strategic partnership, built on the solid foundations of mutual trust and respect. Last February, China once again impressed the world by successfully hosting the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. In a testament to the close ties of friendship between our two countries, and the personal rapport between our leaders at the highest levels, the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening ceremony and were warmly welcomed by President Xi Jinping.

In October, China's top leadership convened for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party. This landmark political event has laid out China's roadmap of development for years to come, and its influence will be felt far and wide. Amid the increasingly complex risks and challenges, China remains a growth engine for the global economy and an indispensable centre of gravity for international order. China's success story will continue to resonate well beyond Asia-Pacific, the UAE, the wider Middle East, and globally.

In 2022, the UAE also enjoyed a fruitful year. The Expo 2020 Dubai brought the world's business communities together, a milestone event at the first World Expo to be hosted in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia region. In fact, no small amount of credit for the Expo’s success can be attributed to the multidimensional cooperation between the UAE and China - in everything from logistics to pharmaceutical technologies.

Our cooperation continues to deepen and flourish with every passing year. China is our most important trading partner, while the UAE has become the Middle East's pre-eminent hub for the Belt and Road Initiative. Today, both our countries are pushing ahead at the very cutting edge of ingenuity and innovation, testing the boundaries of science for the betterment of our shared future.

Like China, the UAE is an active and engaged stakeholder in the community of nations, currently serving as an elected member of the UN Security Council. Our country is committed to fulfilling its role as a responsible global citizen, striving to promote regional stability and safeguard world peace. With China and other council members, we will work together to build prosperity and cultivate harmony for all of mankind.

With the Spring Festival fast approaching, China is ready to usher in the Year of the Rabbit. I have learned that the rabbit symbolizes kindness, agility, wit and positivity, and these are innate characteristics of an ancient Chinese culture, which complement the core UAE values of openness, inclusivity, innovation, and cooperation.

Finally, I wish you all an auspicious and joyous Spring Festival, and I look forward to closer relations between our two nations in the coming year, and for years and generations to come.

Chun Jie Kuai Le（Happy Chinese New Year）!