Research

Policy & Legal Updates

Report Compares Tax Rates and Public Benefits Across UAE, China, and Globally

A comparative overview by lovemoney examines personal and commercial tax burdens alongside public services across 25 countries, including the UAE and China. The UAE levies no personal income, capital gains, or inheritance taxes with a 5% VAT, while China imposes income tax brackets between 3% and 45% alongside compulsory social security. Public service provisions differ sharply, from free basic education in China to private healthcare requirements for UAE expatriates.

Industry News

Visual Capitalist Visualizes UAE Food Import Categories and Cold-Chain Logistics Needs

A report produced by Visual Capitalist in partnership with DP World details the UAE's food import composition based on IHS Markit data. Frozen meat leads import value at 17.9%, followed by fruits and nuts at 16.7% and packaged food at 13.5%. Four categories requiring temperature-controlled logistics account for 46.9% of total food import value.

Industry News

Chinese Visitor Leisure Nights in Middle East Forecast to Surge 160% by 2030

According to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2026 by ICCA and Tourism Economics, Chinese leisure nights in the Middle East are projected to rise 160% between 2025 and 2030. In business travel, visits from China are forecast to grow by 99%, leading all major source markets. The study also notes that Chinese visitors spend more than twice as much per night as the typical traveler to the region.

Policy & Legal Updates

China Expands International Commercial Courts to Handle Cross-Border Trade Disputes

China has expanded its network of China International Commercial Courts (CICCs) and dispute-resolution infrastructure since 2018 to handle rising cross-border commercial cases. The national-level court has concluded 37 cases worth over RMB 13.8 billion ($2 billion), while 18 local intermediate courts have established municipal-level CICCs. A Jamestown Foundation study notes that empirical research shows mixed findings regarding domestic bias, with factors like state-owned joint ventures influencing outcomes.