Hues of red and yellow illuminated the night sky early at Dubai's Burj Khalifa early on Tuesday morning as the UAE prepared to welcome China's president.
Some of the country's famous landmarks were testing their LED lighting systems to mark the arrival of Xi Jinping in what will be one of the largest state visits the country has hosted.
Adnoc Headquarters and Hudayriat Bridge were also expected to give night owls a sneak peek of what to expect when the Chinese delegation touches down on Thursday.
It is not the first time the Emirates has rolled out an LED marhaba to visiting dignitaries, but it will be the biggest. In February, the Burj Khalifa and Adnoc HQ adorned the Indian tricolor for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Indian tricolour lights up @AdnocGroup headquarters, Abu Dhabi in anticipation of arrival of Prime Minister @narendramodi on 10th February 2018. #IndiaUAEties pic.twitter.com/01SnyCabtc
— India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) February 9, 2018
On the eve of visit of PM @narendramodi to UAE, Abu Dhabi's iconic ADNOC building in Abu Dhabi and Emirates Palace are adorned with colours of the Indian tricolour@IndianDiplomacy @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/Je37swHcMd
— Navdeep Suri (@navdeepsuri) February 9, 2018
The Burj Khalifa also celebrated the Lunar New Year with a spectacular light show.
We wish you a happy Chinese New Year from Emaar!
— Emaar Dubai (@emaardubai) February 16, 2018
نتمنى لكم عام صيني سعيد من إعمار!
伊玛尔
恭祝您
新春愉快! pic.twitter.com/rzyiKuU3vX
Mr Xi's visit coincides with a week-long celebration of Chinese culture across the country.
On Saturday, UAE leaders hailed the visit by Beijing as beginning a new phase of long-term and mutually beneficial co-operation.
"The UAE currently hosts 200,000 Chinese citizens and 4,000 trading companies. We seek to build long-term economic, cultural, and trade and investment ties with China," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
"We are happy to celebrate China's rich and continued historical culture on an annual basis."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said China and the UAE's relationship plays a pivotal role in the stability of the region and its economic future.
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