The United Arab Emirates will host the 2016 Asian Cup table tennis championship less than 100 days before the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the Asian Table Tennis Union has announced.

Hundreds of government officials, sports industry stakeholders and prize winners from China and Dubai gathered in the Orange Hall at Taikoo Li in Sanlitun, Beijing, to celebrate Dubai Sports Night, as part of Dubai Week, a promotional initiative to raise Dubai’s profile in China.

In cooperation with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Falcon and Associates initiative, a strategic advisory company working on behalf of the Dubai leadership, held the event, to showcase Dubai's growing significance as a world-class destination for sport with state-of-the-art facilities as the most populous city and emirate in UAE.

"We are delighted to confirm that the 2016 Asian Cup will be staged in the UAE," said Tony Yue, secretary- general of the Asian Table Tennis Union.

"As a sponsor of the Chinese team and host of several major table tennis events in recent years, there is a growing passion for our sport in Dubai and we look forward to taking our tournament to a city renowned for staging world-class sporting events."

Dawoud Al Hajri, president with UAE Table Tennis Association, said it is a great honor to be awarded the rights to stage this prestigious event.