Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, special envoy of the UAE president for China affairs, in Beijing yesterday. As reported in the Global Times, “Their relationship has gone beyond the bilateral scope and become a model of cooperation among Global South countries in pursuing development and revitalization, Wang said.” The UAE official thanked China for its warm reception of UAE Crown Prince Khaled during his visit to China earlier, and expressed expectations for a meeting between the two countries’ leaders within the year.

He did not say whether or not UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will attend the meeting of the “Global Governance Forum,” which will be held in late October in Hebei Province. The exact date has not yet been publicized.