In July 2018, the South China Morning Post positively covered Xi Jinping’s visit to the UAE to sign a series of deals to boost the People’s Republic of China’s presence in the Middle East. Given China’s seemingly endless round-theworld deal broking extravaganza, this was not a standout headline.
It is, nonetheless, an impressive turnaround in light of Dubai’s 2007 predicament – when Abu Dhabi stepped in to bail out its neighboring Emirate. Since 2007, the UAE has revitalized its tourism and financial services industries, of which the aviation sector is an important part. Not only has Dubai become a major aviation hub, it is also the home of Emirates airline. Various aircraft leasing companies and banks are also proliferating in Dubai and the surrounding Middle East region.
