RIYADH: Dubai Chambers has signed two cooperation agreements with Chinese business associations in Shenzhen, aiming to unlock new trade and investment opportunities for Dubai-based companies.
The memorandums of understanding were signed with the Greater Bay Area Importers and Exporters Association and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance during the Dubai Business Forum – China, organised by Dubai Chambers, according to a release.
Dubai deepens China trade ties
The agreements reflect a shared commitment to deepening economic ties between Dubai and China, building on the complementary strengths of both economies. They aim to increase trade and investment flows, create new opportunities for companies to expand across regional and global markets, and strengthen cooperation between Dubai businesses and their counterparts in the Greater Bay Area.
The deals come as China ranks as Dubai’s largest trading partner. Non-oil trade between Dubai and China reached 363.5 billion Emirati dirhams ($98.9 billion) in 2025, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said ahead of the forum. That was a roughly 172-fold increase from 2.1 billion dirhams in 1990, when China ranked sixth among Dubai’s trading partners.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said: “We are committed to expanding our network of international partnerships and connecting Dubai's business community with promising opportunities around the world.”
Lootah signed the MoU with the GBAIEA alongside Zhao Huazhong, the association's executive chairman.
The second MoU, with the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance, was signed by Salem AlShamsi, executive vice president of international relations at Dubai Chambers, and Diana Dai, executive president of the alliance’s UAE chapter, on behalf of the Chinese side.
The forum attracted 854 Chinese investors and business leaders, alongside a 112-member Dubai delegation, the largest overseas business council ever led by Dubai Chambers, the Emirates News Agency reported.
Dubai’s push for Agentic AI
Dubai Chambers has been working to accelerate the private sector’s adoption of agentic artificial intelligence under a program launched by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.
On Oct. 19, Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy signed two MoUs with Nebius Academy, the training arm of AI cloud company Nebius, and software platform Lovable.
Dubai Chambers has launched training programs for 14,000 member companies affiliated with business groups and business councils under the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. The initiative aims to help companies integrate agentic AI into their administrative and operational activities in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.