BEIJING, Nov. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, joins the People's Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates in celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Over the past 20 years, Emirates has made a significant contribution to fostering closer ties between China and the United Arab Emirates through its passenger and cargo operations, carrying more than 17.5 million passengers on routes to and from Dubai in mainland China. In addition, Emirates' global network not only provides passengers with seamless connectivity, but also covers more than 50 countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, which further strengthens the air corridor for China-Arabia and even China's economic and trade exchanges with the rest of the world.

Emirates Boeing 777

During these 40 years of glorious history, China and the Arab Republic of China have deepened their cooperation and exchanges, and concluded a profound friendship. According to relevant statistics, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Arabia, the trade volume between the two countries has increased by about 800 times, and it is expected that by 2030, the bilateral trade volume will reach 200 billion U.S. dollars. Emirates, as a key link between the two countries, has always shouldered the important responsibility of promoting the development of bilateral relations, and is committed to promoting mutual benefits in a wide range of areas, contributing to the long-term development of relations between the two countries. This is the culmination of the joint efforts of the governments and people of the two countries, as well as a reflection of Emirates' own continuous progress, marking a new level of cooperation between the two countries.

A number of "first" records bear witness to its glorious history

Emirates' deep connection with the Chinese market can be traced back to the beginning of this century, when it became the first Middle Eastern airline to operate direct flights between the Middle East and mainland China by launching the Dubai-Shanghai freighter service in September 2002, marking a new chapter in its development in the Chinese market.In June 2009, Emirates set up an exclusive VIP lounge at the Beijing Capital International Airport, dedicated to Emirates First Class passengers. In June 2009, Emirates established an exclusive VIP lounge at Beijing Capital International Airport, dedicated to Emirates First and Business Class passengers and Skywards members, extending its premium in-flight service to the ground experience. 2010 saw Emirates take the lead in deploying double-decker Jumbo A380s on scheduled routes to and from Dubai and Beijing, further fulfilling its commitment to providing Chinese passengers with a "Flying Excellence" travel experience and demonstrating its strength and determination to lead the industry in this development. strength and determination to lead the development of the industry.

Mr. Li Xun, General Manager, Emirates China, said: "On the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE, we look back on the remarkable achievements that this partnership has brought to both countries. As a Dubai-based international airline, we are proud to be able to contribute to the strong ties between China and the UAE through our business operations, helping to build trade and tourism between the two countries while connecting China to the rest of the world through our global network."

"The friendship between China and Afghanistan continues to deepen, and we look forward to developing broader cooperation on this basis. The Mainland China market is one of the most important markets in our East Asia route network, and we use wide-body aircraft to provide direct passenger services from Dubai to our three major hub cities - Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai - as well as convenient connections to and from around the world via connecting flights in Dubai. We are confident about the future development of tourism in China and are committed to contributing our share to this end."

Emirates celebrates 40 years of diplomatic relations between China and the United Arab Emirates

Emirates Airline to build air corridors along the Belt and Road

Mr. Li added: "Emirates operates to over 140 destinations on six continents, including 51 countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, a 33.55% coverage rate. With Dubai as our hub, we will fuel the further expansion of China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative in the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Europe."

"Over the past year, six of the top 10 most popular destinations visited by Mainland Chinese passengers transiting on Emirates via Dubai were destinations along the 'Belt and Road' initiative: Cairo, Egypt; Casablanca, Morocco; Istanbul, Turkey; Lisbon, Portugal; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa. Emirates operates 35 weekly flights between Dubai and Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China, as well as 105 flights from Dubai to these six destinations. This achievement not only reflects Emirates' competitive edge in the international market, but also its relentless efforts to promote Sino-Arab economic cooperation and foster regional and global connectivity." Li Xun continued to add.

Deepening the service experience in China

China has always been one of Emirates' key strategic markets. Currently, Emirates operates 35 passenger flights per week in the Chinese mainland market, including two flights per day from Dubai-Beijing, two flights per day from Dubai-Shanghai and one flight per day from Dubai-Guangzhou. Emirates actively contributes to China's outbound tourism, offering a wide route network to meet passengers' diverse destination needs.

To better serve Chinese passengers, Emirates has employed more than 250 Chinese flight attendants. In the post epidemic era, Emirates is actively promoting the recruitment of Chinese flight attendants to expand its talent pool in China. As of October, Emirates has organized four recruitment events in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu this year, with one to two more in the pipeline, with the aim of providing Chinese passengers on Emirates' global routes with better protection and a better flight experience.

Passengers can enjoy a wealth of Chinese audio and video content on Emirates' award-winning ice inflight entertainment system. In addition, Emirates has added more than 50 Chinese cuisines to its global flight and lounge menu libraries, such as Dry Fried Beef and River, Seafood Congee, Kung Pao Chicken, Hot and Sour Soup and other homemade delicacies, to cater to the diversified tastes of Chinese passengers. These initiatives not only enhance the passenger experience, but also demonstrate the importance Emirates attaches to the Chinese market.

Emirates SkyCargo strengthens cargo network in China to boost international trade

Emirates SkyCargo Cargo is increasingly active in the Chinese market. In FY2023-2024, Emirates SkyCargo Cargo carried more than 110,000 tons of cargo on routes to and from Mainland China, with an average weekly cargo volume of 2,100 tons. The types of cargo carried by Emirates SkyCargo provide a glimpse of how China's industry, economy and consumer demand have changed and evolved over the past 20 years.

On the export side, Emirates SkyCargo provides tailor-made and specialized transport solutions for the export business of many corporate and e-commerce customers, with key export cargo categories including express, automotive, frozen/chilled seafood and other perishables, clothing, cell phones and accessories, general cargo and chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, among others. On the import side, the cargo shipped to China from all over the world through Emirates SkyCargo is equally diverse, including: pharmaceuticals, perishables such as lobster, salmon and flowers, ship accessories, leather goods and general cargo.

In mainland China, Emirates SkyCargo currently operates 13 weekly all-cargo flights, all operated by Boeing 777 all-cargo aircraft, with a capacity of up to 100 tons of cargo per flight, in addition to 35 weekly passenger flights in the belly hold. These all-cargo flights are operated by Boeing 777 freighters with a capacity of up to 100 tons per flight. These flights not only meet diversified logistics needs, but also effectively promote trade between China and Arabia.

Looking ahead, Emirates will continue to work to strengthen the ties between China and Afghanistan, building bridges of connectivity and promoting the further development of Sino-Arab friendship by increasing the number of flights from Dubai to more Chinese cities.