Abu Dhabi, UAE - July 19, 2018 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of Chinese president's flight landing
2. Various of Chinese President Xi Jinping (C), UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (R), Xi's wife Peng Liyuan (L) at welcoming ceremony
3. Xi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Peng leaving hall

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday for a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the first by a Chinese head of state in 29 years to the Arab state.

Xi is paying the three-day state visit at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It's also the Chinese president's first trip overseas this year and his first state visit since he began his second term.

He will meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The two sides are expected to discuss mutually beneficial topics including cooperation in energy, production capacity and other fields, as well as the possibility of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.

After the UAE, Xi will travel to Africa to visit Senegal, Rwanda and South Africa, where he is scheduled to attend the 10th BRICS summit in South African capital Johannesburg from July 25 to 27.

He'll pay a friendly visit to Mauritius during a stopover on his way back to Beijing.