China's President Xi Jinping, second left, and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed AI Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, third right, attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. AP
The rule of law cannot be "used when convenient and discarded when not," Xi told Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the visiting crown prince of Abu Dhabi, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
"We must not allow the world to revert to the law of the jungle," Xi told Sheikh Khaled.
The Abu Dhabi crown prince's visit to Beijing comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East after weekend talks between Washington and Tehran failed to reach a deal to end the war.
Since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran in late February, Iran has effectively shut the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route to vessels it deems from unfriendly nations.
However, Tehran has allowed ships from countries that opposed the US-Israel war, including China and India, to transit through the waterway,
Still, Beijing was hit by the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Official data on Tuesday showed Chinese natural gas imports for March dropped to their lowest since October 2022, while inbound shipments of crude oil fell 2.8 percent, as many Chinese vessels remain stuck in the Persian Gulf.
Still, China vetoed a US-backed UNSC resolution that mandated the use of force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Arab Gulf nations, including the UAE, have been hit hard by the war.
Oil shipments from Gulf states, including the UAE, through the Strait of Hormuz have plunged since the start of the war.
Tehran has also launched missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure and ports in neighbouring Gulf nations, including the UAE, causing widespread damage and destruction to facilities.
On Monday, the US Navy began a blockade of Hormuz and Iranian ports, raising the potential of a confrontation with Chinese ships.
Strategic partnership
Xi told Sheikh Khaled, who also chairs the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, that China was willing to work with the UAE to build a more robust, resilient, and dynamic strategic partnership.
The visit by the crown prince of the largest of the UAE's seven emirates underscores a long-term commitment to expand a growing economic corridor with China, building on momentum generated by the 2024 visit of Sheikh Khaled's father.
On Monday, the UAE's national airline, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, announced a plan to significantly expand its network of flights between the UAE capital and Chinese cities in 2026 and 2027.
Highlighting the UAE's push to deepen economic ties with China, Sheikh Khaled's delegation included Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and industry minister; investment minister Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi; and trade minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
On Monday, China's No.2, Premier Li Qiang, told the crown prince that Beijing was willing to explore cooperation in energy storage, hydrogen, and new energy vehicles.
Bilateral trade should be "expanded in scale, but also optimised structurally," Li said, adding that China welcomed more UAE investment in sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences.
Later this year, China plans to host the second China-Arab States Summit, where Beijing hopes to complete talks on a free trade pact between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
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