China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his United Arab Emirates counterpart on Friday, pledging deeper cooperation in investment, oil and gas, and infrastructure with the Gulf country, China’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Wang, on a three-nation tour of the Middle East that began on Friday, held talks with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi, the ministry said.

“China is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with the UAE, consolidate political mutual trust and elevate bilateral relations,” Wang said.