Dubai is targeting an expansion of its domestic manufacturing sector to approximately 20 per cent by attracting more Chinese manufacturing enterprises and replicating industrial expertise locally, Dubai Chambers Chairman Sultan Al Mansoori told Khaleej Times. Speaking on the sidelines of the Dubai Business Forum in Shenzhen, where Dubai Chambers led its largest overseas delegation, Al Mansoori stated that the emirate aims to lift manufacturing from its current 9 to 11 per cent share of the economy.
Al Mansoori noted that Dubai intends to build the necessary infrastructure with experienced manufacturing partners to serve both domestic needs and the broader regional market. He identified manufacturing, artificial intelligence, mobility, logistics, and renewable energy as core priority sectors for engagement with Chinese businesses.
Economic data cited by the report showed Dubai's non-oil trade with China crossed Dh363.5 billion in 2025, marking a 118.4 per cent increase between 2016 and 2025. Across the wider UAE, bilateral non-oil trade with China reached $111.4 billion (Dh409.1 billion) in 2025, up 25 per cent year-on-year, according to Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, with projections targeting $200 billion by 2030.
Commercial registrations also reflect rising engagement. Active Chinese member firms at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce reached 6,650 by the end of September 2026, more than tripling since 2016. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) registered a 9.4 per cent increase in Chinese firms over the past year, surpassing 1,000 companies, with over 60 per cent concentrated in energy, engineering, machinery, technology, and telecommunications. In the financial sector, Beijing-based China Securities recently established a regional presence in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), joining five major Chinese banks that together hold over 30 per cent of DIFC Banking and Capital Markets sector assets.
Sources
- Magzter · 2026-10-15
