President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan Sunday met in Abu Dhabi with visiting Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie to boost bilateral ties.

During the meeting, Liang, who is also a state councilor, expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Khalifa for the aid delivered by the UAE government following the May 12 earthquake that hit southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Bilateral relations between China and the UAE at all levels have been on the right track since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1984, Liang said.

China appreciates the UAE government's persistence in the one- China policy and hopes to push forward ties with the UAE as well as the relations between the armies of the two countries, Liang added.

For his part, Sheikh Khalifa said the UAE and China boast a long history of friendship and that bilateral cooperation developed rapidly in various areas in recent years.

He reiterated UAE government's adherence to the one-China policy, hoping the UAE and China will work together to cope with the global financial crisis and that the two armies would maintain friendliness and cooperation.

Sheikh Khalifa also expressed his congratulations to China on the success of Beijing Olympic Games.

Liang arrived in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to start an official visit to the UAE. He is on a regional tour which will also take him to Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2008)