The opening ceremony of the Shandong Week of China Pavilion (Shandong Week) kicked off at the Expo 2020 Dubai on March 22 in Shandong and Dubai both online and offline, attracting many government officials and business representatives to discuss friendship and cooperation, as well as Shandong's development opportunities.

The Shandong Week event offered a platform to deepen economic and trade cooperation between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Shandong.

Shandong Week  is running under the theme of "Origin of Silk Road, Home to Innovation," and focuses on industrial cooperation and cultural exchange, to showcases Shandong's economic development, cultural deposits, local conditions and customs, and advanced technologies, said Zhang Shenfeng, commissioner general of the China Pavilion.

"Shandong boasts rich historical and cultural deposits, and is the home town of Confucius," said Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to China.

He added that Shandong is an economic powerhouse in China, and has established extensive and profound cooperation with the UAE in areas such as infrastructure, tourism, food and energy resources.

Ni Jian, the Chinese ambassador to the UAE, noted that Shandong's cooperation with the UAE is an important part of the China-UAE cooperation. Foreign trade between the two countries reached $8.3 billion in 2021, growing by 71.5 percent year-on-year, and a number of Shandong enterprises have invested in the UAE.

Shandong Week will last until March 24, and a slew of themed activities will also be held during the event.

The Shandong Week of China Pavilion kicks off at the Expo 2020 Dubai on March 22. [Photo/Qilu News]