A Pre-Dubai Expo Event to Familiarize Hong Kong and Mainland Business Communities to Tap into the Booming Markets in the UAE

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14 July 2021 – Senior executives from more than 150 local and mainland businesses joined an online forum jointly organized by the Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Hong Kong and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) on 12^th July to learn and explore business opportunities in the UAE, which has Hong Kong and mainland China among its leading trade partners.

The UAE Investment Opportunities Webinar was organized as a prelude to the Expo 2020 Dubai which is due to begin on 1^st October this year. At the webinar, 10 representatives from heavy-weighted investment authorities from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah (see Annex) presented their projects on real estates, finance, creative industry and healthcare, which are lucrative opportunities for foreign investors. They also shared information about investment regulations and the latest business environment in the UAE.

In her opening remarks, Mariam Alshamsi, UAE Acting Consul General to Hong Kong, encouraged local business communities to tap into the UAE’s booming markets in FinTech, blockchain technology, healthcare, medical tourism, education, culture and arts, riding on the opening of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Dubai this year.

CGCC Permanent Honorary President Dr Jonathan Choi reflected that the CGCC has been working closely with the UAE for a very long time, building connections with local chambers and businessmen. He commended that “UAE has a well-established infrastructure, stable political system and one of the most liberal trade regimes in the Gulf region.” Hence, the UAE continues to be increasingly important, relevant, and attractive to investors around the world.

Calling for participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai in October

Upon the conclusion of the much-anticipated UAE Investment Opportunities Webinar , the Consulate encouraged all parties who are interested in the Belt and Road Initiative to partake in the Expo 2020 Dubai, a mega event set to take place from 1^st October 2021 to 31^st March 2022, that will bring together delegates of corporations, governments and non-governmental organizations from 192 countries and regions to discuss and explore the opportunities to collaborate on business, mobility and sustainability, connecting dozens of millions of people.

Annex 1 – The list of the 10 high-profile UAE presenters

Fatima Mohammed Al Hammadi (VP, Commercial Commercial & Business Development, ZonesCrop, Abu Dhabi Ports https://www.adports.ae/core-business/business-subsidiaries/zonescorp/);

Humaid Omran Al Shamsi (Director, Real Estate Promotion Department, Dubai Land Department https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/);

Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh (CEO, Invest In Sharjah, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority http://investinsharjah.ae/);

John Cunliffe (Strategic Business Development Director, Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone https://rakez.com/en/);

Daniel Sellers (Chief Representative, China International Offices, Dubai Chamber https://www.dubaichamber.com/);

Rania Krimeed (Head, Professional Services of Business Development, Abu Dhabi Global Market https://adgm.com/);

Marwan Al Naqi (Director, Strategy and Corporate Excellence Department, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority https://dubaiculture.gov.ae/en/Pages/default.aspx);

Ali Hassan (Senior Representative for Europe and North America, Dubai International Financial Centre https://www.difc.ae/chinese/);

Jaffar Bin Jaffar (Director, Property and Sales Operations, Asset Management, Dubai Healthcare City Authority https://www.dhcc.ae/);

Faisal Jassem (Senior Manager of Sales, Jebel Ali Free Zone https://jafza.ae/).

About the UAE

The UAE was one of the earliest countries to join the Belt & Road Initiative. Apart from being Hong Kong’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and being its 16^th largest trading partner in 2020, UAE is also the largest export market and the 2^nd largest trading partner of China in the Arab world. In recent years, the country has managed to undergo economic diversification from an oil-driven economy to developing non-oil sectors. It has employed an array of open policies for foreign investors, including waiver of withholding taxes, freehold ownership of land, 100% company ownership, restriction-free on employee nationalities, protection under the international financial regulatory regime and so on. Those preferential treatments have attracted many renowned organizations to set up their operations in the UAE.

About the organizers

The Consulate General of the UAE in Hong Kong is committed to fostering bilateral ties between UAE, Hong Kong and China in the spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Greater Bay Area plan, by connecting counterparts and curating events in the economic, cultural, education, media and charity fronts.

Official website: https://www.mofaic.gov.ae/zh-tw/missions/hong-kong

Social media: Instagram & Twitter @UAEConsulateHK

Expo 2020 Dubai official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUM97JjAG1c

The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong is one of the oldest and largest chambers of commerce in Hong Kong with a membership of over 6,000 local Chinese associations, companies and individuals.

Official website: https://www.cgcc.org.hk/en/

#UAEConsulateHK