Huang to seek closer ties with UAE

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 26, 2006. It reports that Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently went to the United Arab Emirates, in order to observe the resumption of direct flights between Taiwan and the UAE's caital Abu Dhabi. The minister will also visit local officials to discuss bilateral projects.

The minister's trip came shortly after Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Saudi Arabia. According to this article, these events have thrown a spotlight on the cross-strait diplomatic competition that is heating up in the Middle East. "Energy-hungry China is keen to get closer to countries in the world's top oil-producing region, while in the past few years, Taiwan has also shown increasing interest in the Middle East because of its strategic value amid the fierce global competition for energy resources," the article says.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was accompanied by officials from the National Security Council, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan's China Petroleum Corporation. The delegation would first attend a ceremony hosted by Taiwan's China Airlines that marked new direct flights to Abu Dhabi. According to the China Airlines, the new Taipei-Abu Dhabi route will meet the growing demand from Taiwanese tourists and businesspeople who want to visit the United Arab Emirates.

While in Abu Dhabi, the Taiwanese delegation would also visit local tourism and oil facilities, as well as having a half-day trip to Dubai.

The United Arab Emirates includes seven emirates. Abu Dhabi, the emirate with the highest oil revenues, has expressed interest in developing closer ties with Taiwan in recent years.