China is allocating $4 billion to build an Islam theme park, an effort to establish a Chinese-accepted version of Islam and to improve Sino-Arab ties.

The theme park, which has been dubbed the World Muslim City, will feature a mosque-like Golden Palace equipped with minarets prayer chanting, with street names and signs in Arabic, and light and dance show based on the Chinese version of Aladdin The Thousand and One Nights to be performed by local Hui Muslim dancers.

Like Us on Facebook

Guests will reportedly be asked to remove their shoes before entering the park, and women will be given the freedom to wear or not to wear their traditional clothing. There will also be a gift shop where visitors can buy a traditional outfit.

China's latest project is aimed at capitalizing on the Muslim market and improving Sino-Arab ties despite the fact that Beijing's relationship with its Uighur Muslim minority has been controversial.

The construction of the theme park started in 2012 and is expected to be completed by 2020. It will be situated in a small city in Yinchuan in the inland Ningxia autonomous region, which is the home of Hui Muslims who are Mandarin speakers and are ethnically similar to Han Chinese population, according to The Independent.

Quartz reported China will build a 900,000-square foot terminal to cater the possible flock of Arab Tourists. There are also plans to create a direct flight from Amman and Kuala Lumpur.

Despite China's attempt to please the Muslim community, it has received little attention from the Arab world. "So far, Arab visitors have responded to the region's largest and most expensive tourist draw with only tepid enthusiasm," Kyle Haddad-Fonda, a journalist associated with the Foreign Policy wrote.

Tagschina, Arab, Sino-Arab ties, Muslim, Islam, World Muslim City