Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced on October 12, 2026, that Dubai Chambers is dispatching Dubai's largest-ever economic delegation to Shenzhen to participate in the Dubai Business Forum – China on October 14. According to official figures released alongside the announcement, non-oil trade between Dubai and China reached AED 363.5 billion in 2025, up from AED 2.1 billion in 1990, establishing China as Dubai's largest global trading partner. The Shenzhen forum focuses on commercial ties in artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, fintech, logistics, and digital infrastructure.
In parallel, the UAE deployed 16 Emirati artificial intelligence specialists to Beijing and Shanghai for a five-day study visit running from October 12 to 16. The visit is part of the Artificial Intelligence track of the National Experts Program (NEP-AI) under the theme 'AI Governance, Smart Nation Systems and Digital Government.'
During the visit, participants are scheduled to meet with Chinese technology companies and research institutions, including Zhipu AI, the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), ByteDance, AgiBot, and Agentrix. Engagements focus on foundational research, regulatory standards, robotics, enterprise automation, and AI deployment across digital platforms.
The China delegation is accompanied by six NEP alumni and fellows, including Meera AlMheiri, Sumaya Al Hajeri, Saood Al Noori, Prof. Hoda Alkhzaimi, Major Eng. Mohamed Zainal, and Hassan Alnoon. The trip is one of three international study visits within the eight-month NEP-AI journey, alongside visits to Canada and Silicon Valley.
Sources
- Emirates 24/7 · 2026-10-12
