In order to foster enhanced collaboration in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, the 21st China-ASEAN Expo, or CAEXPO, is set to extend a formal invitation for the first time to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to join as the special partner for this session. This milestone marks the first participation of a Gulf Arab country as a special partner in the CAEXPO. The UAE will send a delegation to attend this year"s CAEXPO and set up a national pavilion at the event.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and the UAE. Over the past 40 years, the two sides have engaged in extensive, in-depth exchanges and cooperation in politics, economics, culture, and other fields. Economic and trade cooperation between China and the UAE has flourished, with China consistently ranking as the UAE's largest trading partner.

Starting from the 11th CAEXPO, special partners have been extended invitations to participate in the event with the aim of broadening their scope of services beyond the support of China-ASEAN ("10+1") cooperation. This expansion seeks to facilitate cooperation under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the advancement of high-quality cooperation in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. These measures are intended to stimulate more exchanges between China, ASEAN, and countries outside the region.