Last month, China's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and some 400 of his compatriots living in the Gulf state gathered to witness a bit of history.

For the first time, two Chinese naval ships, the frigate Maanshan and the supply ship Qiandaohu, visited the UAE, with a brief port call in Abu Dhabi.

The event, which captured little attention, was another example of the growing ties between the Gulf and the Asian giant. With the level of trade between the Middle East and Asia soaring, the talk is of a new silk road. It is easy to see why. In 2008, China overtook the US as the largest exporter to the Middle East, with Chinese goods coming into the region valued at about $60bn at the end of last year – up from $4.6bn at the turn of the century, according to the Royal Bank of Scotland.