Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng has named an exclusive distributor in Oman, marking its fourth GCC market. The company previously entered the UAE in late 2024 through Ali & Sons and maintains a Dubai spare-parts hub with JD Logistics.
Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala has acquired a $1 billion minority stake in Luckin Coffee to finance its international growth. The Chinese coffee chain is now planning commercial launches across the GCC, prioritizing the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
China's annual outbound direct investment reached $213.58 billion, surpassing $200 billion for the first time with an 11.1 percent year-on-year increase. Outbound flows to the Middle East more than doubled, with the United Arab Emirates leading the region by attracting $2.6 billion. The UAE figure represents more than triple the volume of Chinese direct investment received in the preceding year.
The UAE and China have formalized a bilateral memorandum of understanding to accelerate two-way capital flows through joint investment platforms and dedicated funds. Concurrently, China's Luckin Coffee is evaluating an expansion into Gulf markets following a $1 billion investment deal involving Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala and Centurium Capital.
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