Bilateral trade between Dubai and China reached approximately $99 billion, with non-oil trade expanding by 118.4 percent compared to 2016 levels. Chinese direct investment projects in Dubai increased to 91 in 2025, up from 11 in 2021. In regional finance, Qatar's Lesha Bank and ChinaAMC partnered to launch a Shari'a-compliant China equity fund.
China Asset Management (Hong Kong) and Qatar's Lesha Bank have agreed to establish Qatar's first Sharia-compliant China equity fund. The fund could potentially scale up to $1 billion to provide GCC high-net-worth investors direct access to Chinese equities.
The UAE and Kuwait have increased naphtha exports to Asian petrochemical producers using ship-to-ship transfer operations conducted outside the Strait of Hormuz. Between August and September, ADNOC and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation exported approximately 1.6 million metric tons of naphtha, more than doubling shipments from the March-April period. The surge reflects growing utilization of alternative loading and offshore transshipment hubs including Fujairah and waters off Oman and India.
China Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Qatar-based Lesha Bank signed an MOU to launch a Shari'a-compliant All-China active equity fund. The fund provides GCC institutional and high-net-worth investors targeted access to Chinese A-shares, H-shares, and overseas-listed equities. Lesha Bank acts as investment manager, while ChinaAMC (HK) serves as sub-investment manager overseeing portfolio decisions.
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