In a tale from The Arabian Nights, a sultan challenges his three sons to seek the most extraordinary item to win his niece's hand. The eldest son, Prince Hussain, finds a magical flying carpet at a bazaar, enabling instant travel to any destination, adding a captivating touch of wonder to the story.
When I was a child reading The Arabian Nights, flying carpets were just a fantasy. Today, the once-distant dream of soaring on a magic carpet seems within reach.
Cities like Guangzhou and Dubai, linked by a tie of friendship cities for more than a decade, are advancing low-altitude economy infrastructure and promoting the commercial use of "flying taxis".
While ground-based vehicles are the focal point of most discussions, entrepreneurs in Guangzhou have their sights set on the skies and are working to turn fairy-tale magic carpets into reality.
Jack Dong, senior manager of public relations at Ehang, a Guangzhou-based urban air mobility company, says that flying taxis represent the future. Dong adds that Guangzhou and Dubai are similar in how they embrace new technologies and innovations.
Dubai has also unveiled plans to introduce flying taxis, with full operations set to begin in 2026, setting the stage for a new era of urban mobility. The journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah is expected to be shortened from the current 45-minute drive to 10 minutes.
Twelve years ago, Guangzhou and Dubai, both important trading hubs at the two ends of the Asian continent, established a tie of friendship that essentially formalized a partnership that had thrived for many years before that.
Goods made in Guangzhou embark from the Guangzhou ports to access the Middle East market. They leverage Dubai as a hub to expand their reach into regions such as Africa, Europe, and Central Asia. Also loaded from Guangzhou ports are rows of creatively designed cars.
广汽国际业务总经理卫海岗表示：“随着广汽国际海外业务的扩张，中东是我们最重要的领域。要想赢得中东市场，迪拜必不可缺。”
Commenting on the importance of Dubai in the company's business expansion, Wayne Wei, president of GAC International, said: "Dubai is the gateway to the Middle East market. It's a crucial component in our strategy to succeed in the region."
The warm ties between the two cities epitomize the robust relationship that China and the UAE enjoy, the fruit of an agreement made in 1984, when they established diplomatic ties. Ou Boqian, China's consul-general in Dubai, says: "Both nations have chosen a development path that suits us well."
China and the United Arab Emirates actively embrace economic globalization, collaborating to forge successes through openness and promoting mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation, setting a model for the relationship between China and Arab countries in the new era.
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