China-UAE travel surges amid visa easing, expanded air routes

Outbound tourism from China to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has surged over the past year, driven by relaxed visa policies and a growing network of direct flights connecting 13 mainland cities with Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

This year, the UAE extended its visa-free stay for Chinese citizens from 30 to 90 days per visit, tripling the window for travel and exploration. In July, Emirates launched new direct routes from Shenzhen and Hangzhou to Dubai, making getaways more accessible than ever.

Currently, seven airlines operate around 200 round-trip flights weekly between the two countries, linking major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou with the UAE’s key hubs.

Data from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism reveals that the number of Chinese visitors to Dubai reached 824,000 in 2024, marking an impressive year-on-year increase of nearly 30 percent.

This influx of Chinese tourists has driven demand across various sectors, including local dining, retail, cultural tourism, and entertainment.

"It has the tallest building in the world. The architecture here is stunning and cool, with remarkably futuristic and sci-fi designs," said Liu Yi, a Chinese tourist.

"The UAE has availed many convenient services for Chinese tourists. For example, from duty-free shops to shopping malls, Chinese payment methods are widely accepted. In hotels and commercial districts, guidance signs in Chinese are now very common," said Hu Jun, deputy general manager of Hunter International Tourism LLC.

China-UAE travel surges amid visa easing, expanded air routes

The multilateral system is "under attack" amid global turmoil, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned in her remarks on Wednesday.

In her briefing on the priorities for the resumed 80th Session of the General Assembly, the UNGA president noted that the current multilateral system does not collapse all in a sudden, but "crumbles piece by piece" in divisions, compromises, and lack of political commitment.

The president called all the UN member states to defend the UN Charter and international law and promote cross-regional cooperation.

She also urged to push forward the work of the UNGA on certain critical issues with a strong majority, rather than an absolute consensus among all member states. Such act is not a failure of multilateralism, but "an affirmation of it," she said.

The foundational principles of the institution should not be eroded by appeasement, she said, calling the member states to show courage, leadership, and responsibility at the UN's "critical make-or-break moment."

"The UN needs you. Your support, your leadership, your principle, stand, your cross-regional cooperation, if we are to preserve and modernize this institution, if we are to make it, rather than break it," she said.

UNGA President warns global multilateral system "under attack"