UAE-Chinese Partnerships Strengthened As MoF Participates In 19th Asian Financial Forum

The UAE used participation at the 19th Asian Financial Forum and Global Business Summit in Hong Kong to underline its role as a key platform for Chinese companies expanding overseas, highlighting growing UAE–China economic ties, strong trade growth, and the UAE’s position as a gateway for investment and logistics into the wider Middle East, North Africa and East Africa markets.

Younis Haji AlKhoori, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, led the UAE delegation at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and joined a session titled "Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global", where speakers examined how Hong Kong supports cross-border financing and discussed internationalisation strategies for Chinese companies, alongside topics such as innovation, digitalisation, green transition and supply chain resilience.

The "Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global" session gathered senior executives from global industrial, renewable energy, electric vehicle, technology and investment groups, who assessed regulatory and geopolitical risk management, considered how to adapt to shifting global economic conditions, and reviewed Hong Kong’s position as a global financial hub that connects Chinese companies with international capital and regional partners, including those based in the UAE.

During the first plenary session, AlKhoori said that relations between the UAE and the People’s Republic of China rest on a comprehensive strategic partnership based on political trust, open trade and shared ambitions in innovation and growth, while also pointing to the UAE’s favourable business environment and how it supports the regional expansion plans of Chinese companies.

AlKhoori explained that the UAE is committed to deepening its economic partnership with China and supporting Chinese companies in their international growth strategies, noting that China remains the UAE’s largest trading partner and that the UAE serves as China’s primary economic and logistics hub in the Middle East, connecting Chinese exporters and investors to surrounding regional markets.

Non-oil trade between the UAE and China reached about $90 billion in 2024, while bilateral non-oil trade in the first half of 2025 was close to $50 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 15.6 percent, which AlKhoori said reflects decades of investment in infrastructure, regulatory modernisation and a shared commitment to open, resilient supply chains.

UAE China economic partnership and investment opportunities for Chinese companies

AlKhoori stated that for Chinese companies planning global expansion, the Middle East, especially when accessed through the UAE, offers one of the most attractive investment environments worldwide, as companies based in the UAE can reach customers across the Gulf Cooperation Council, the wider Middle East, North Africa and East Africa, providing access to more than 400 million consumers through integrated trade corridors.

The UAE has developed into a major re-export centre supported by advanced seaports, integrated logistics zones and extensive aviation networks, strengthening its role as a primary regional gateway for China, while Chinese companies have built a strong and growing presence in the UAE, with more than 14,500 business licences issued across sectors such as logistics, infrastructure, technology, energy, advanced manufacturing and e-commerce.

UAE China economic partnership in new-economy and digital sectors

AlKhoori said this growing footprint reflects confidence in the UAE’s transparent regulatory framework, foreign investment policies, macroeconomic stability and competitive tax environment, as well as its reputation as a business and innovation-friendly base for companies pursuing long-term growth, with particular momentum now shifting toward new-economy sectors that benefit from digitalisation, clean energy and advanced technologies.

He highlighted that bilateral cooperation widened after the eighth session of the UAE–China Joint Economic, Trade, and Technical Committee, now covering artificial intelligence, digital transformation, smart infrastructure, aviation, tourism, logistics, clean energy and other advanced technologies, supported by a new memorandum of understanding on digital economy cooperation that enables joint research, data infrastructure investment and the creation of cross-border innovation hubs.

According to AlKhoori, the UAE offers an ideal launchpad for companies specialising in artificial intelligence, cloud services, robotics, electric vehicle technologies, financial technology and green manufacturing to extend their operations across Middle Eastern markets, and this recent growth is supported by a solid institutional base, including an updated bilateral investment treaty that is designed to strengthen investor protection and build long-term confidence in joint projects.

UAE China economic partnership and strategic priorities for market entry

AlKhoori outlined four strategic priorities for Chinese companies targeting Middle Eastern markets, first urging firms to adopt a "UAE-first" regional strategy, which maximises access to the GCC and Africa while leveraging the UAE’s regulatory stability and infrastructure, and second encouraging the formation of strong partnerships with Emirati companies to speed up market integration and improve prospects for durable commercial success.

The third recommendation focused on investing in local talent and developing cultural understanding, which AlKhoori said is essential in a region with a large youth population, social diversity and rapid technology adoption, while the fourth priority urged companies to align corporate strategies with UAE national priorities in clean energy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainability and advanced manufacturing to benefit from government support and integrated policy frameworks.

On the sidelines of the forum, Younis Haji AlKhoori held several meetings attended by Hussain Al Hammadi, UAE Ambassador to China; Shaikh Saoud Ali Almualla, UAE Consul General in Hong Kong; and Faisal Al Mansoori, Advisor to the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, including a bilateral meeting with Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong, and a separate meeting with Nicholas Ho Lik-chi, Commissioner for the Belt and Road Initiative at the Hong Kong government.

Those discussions covered preparations for a high-level business delegation visit to the UAE in March and potential public-private partnership projects, while another meeting with the chief executive and secretary for financial services of the Hong Kong regional government underlined ongoing coordination between Hong Kong and the UAE, reinforcing the broader UAE–China partnership framework highlighted throughout the Asian Financial Forum and Global Business Summit.

With inputs from WAM