Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed Welcomes Chinese Olympic Committee President

UAE and Chinese Olympic officials met in Dubai to strengthen sports cooperation between the two nations, as both countries shine at the ongoing Asian Games in Bahrain. The meeting comes at a time when China leads the medal table and the UAE sits in sixth place - its best-ever performance at the continental competition.

Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who heads the UAE's National Olympic Committee, hosted Gao Zhidan, China's Sports Minister and Olympic Committee chief, on Tuesday. They discussed ways to deepen ties in Olympic and sports activities between the two countries.

The timing matters. Both nations are performing well at the Third Asian Games in Bahrain, which runs until the end of this month. China tops the overall standings, while the UAE leads all Arab countries in sixth place. This marks the Emirates' strongest showing ever at the Asian Games, with more medals still possible before the event wraps up.

The officials explored several practical areas for collaboration. They talked about sports investments, sharing technology advances in athletics, and using artificial intelligence in training. Joint training camps for athletes across different sports also came up as a possibility.

Both sides see real potential here. The UAE and China have been building impressive sports infrastructure and facilities. This gives them a solid foundation to work together and share what they've learned.

Sheikh Mansour praised the coordination between the two countries, especially in Olympic sports. China's track record speaks for itself - it ranks among the top ten medal-winning nations in Olympic history. That experience could benefit UAE athletes looking to compete at higher levels.

The meeting included UAE Sports Minister Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, who also serves as deputy head of the National Olympic Committee, along with several board members from the Olympic body.

For the UAE, this partnership makes sense. The country has been investing heavily in sports as part of its broader economic strategy. Working with China, a proven Olympic powerhouse, could help accelerate the development of Emirati athletes and sports programs.