Hundreds of Chinese companies have invested more than $6 billion in various sectors in UAE
Investopia 2025 hosted a new edition of the China-Arab Entrepreneurs Summit, under the theme ‘Seizing New Opportunities’, in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and chairman of Investopia; Jean-Pierre Raffarin, co-chairman of Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation and former Prime Minister of France; and Zhao Liang, charge d’affaires of Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the UAE. The summit saw several meetings with the participation of 18 speakers, and the participation and presence of more than 400 leaders, decision-makers and entrepreneurs from the Arab world and China.
A new chapter
In his opening statement, Al Marri underlined that the summit represents a new chapter in the economic relations between the Arab countries and China, noting that joint relations have witnessed sustained momentum over the past period and that the UAE is keen to contribute to the development of this strategic partnership, pushing it to more advanced and prosperous levels.
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The UAE and China enjoy strong economic and trade relations, with China being the UAE’s largest trading partner and the UAE remaining China’s largest partner in the Middle East and North Africa region. Nearly 15,500 Chinese companies have operated in the UAE markets so far.
“We are confident that the common denominators of visions and strategies aimed at expanding into new sectors of the economy will enhance the future of economic and investment relations,” Al Marri stated.
Growing partnership
Al Marri affirmed that the UAE market has succeeded in attracting significant Chinese investments over the past decades, with hundreds of Chinese companies investing more than $6 billion in various sectors such as retail, financial services, real estate, and construction, building on the competitive business environment developed by the country, which include long-term residency programs and 100 percent foreign ownership of companies and streamlined business licensing procedures and ease of business establishment, thereby establishing the UAE’s position as a leading business and investment destination, in the light of the objectives of ‘We the UAE 2031’.
He explained that the UAE supports the Belt and Road Initiative to promote shared prosperity and economic development. The initiative contributed to trade development, increased investment flows, and extended economic partnerships that benefit both Arab and Chinese sides.
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A resilient future
Al Marri called on the importance of employing modern technologies, enhancing the entrepreneurship environment, and transforming global economic challenges into opportunities by strengthening the resilience of the region’s economies.
“The China-Arab Entrepreneurs Summit is a vital platform for strengthening economic and investment partnerships between the Arab world and China and provides an important opportunity to explore new prospects in the sectors of the new economy, including technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, thus contributing to sustainable development and shared prosperity,” he said.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin added: “We believe in the great potential for economic growth in the Middle East over the next decade, and the UAE is an ideal hub for Chinese companies to establish a local presence connecting leading business, public policy, and community leaders across the region and the world.”
William Wang, chief representative for Middle East & Africa at Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation (SIEF), said: “Over the past 10 years, we have helped more than 800 Chinese business and public policy leaders gain firsthand experience of the UAE’s business environment. It has allowed them to explore the country’s investment and collaboration opportunities for their businesses. Moreover, we have played a pivotal role in facilitating their expansion into new markets, leveraging the UAE’s openness and strategic position as a hub connecting regional and global markets.”
Tripartite partnership
The summit featured a high-level dialogue session titled ‘Financing Innovation and Growth’, which included a Sino-Arab-American dialogue on the role of financial institutions in driving the new economy and industrial development through international collaboration. Speakers discussed the critical role financial institutions play in accelerating industrial transformation and fostering innovation, emphasizing that cross-border financial cooperation is a key enabler for supporting startups and providing entrepreneurs with the necessary funding to develop their projects.
Advancing Sino-Arab collaboration
During the summit, SIEF announced the signing of six new strategic partnerships with leading institutions in the presence of Al Marri and Raffarin. The new partners included Investopia, The Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries, Abu Dhabi Global Market Academy, Abu Dhabi School of Management, Hub 71, Saal, and WeCarbon.
