Follow the trade, investment and partnerships bringing China and the UAE closer together.
Mahy Khoory Automotive, the authorised dealer of Chinese automotive brands OMODA & JAECOO in Abu Dhabi, has delivered more than 1,000 vehicles in the emirate. The milestone coincides with OMODA & JAECOO surpassing 6,000 cumulative deliveries across the UAE in September 2026. The dealership supports the expansion via an Airport Road showroom and a Mussafah service facility.
Crude oil shipping costs on the TD3C route from the Arabian Gulf to China rose by 406% to reach $229.76 per metric ton at the end of September. The sharp increase in VLCC tanker rates has forced regional crude producers to deepen price discounts to remain competitive in Asian markets. Saudi Arabia reduced its official selling price for Arab Light crude by $3 per barrel for November.
Chinese direct investment in the UAE surpassed $12 billion in 2025 as tech firms like Alibaba Cloud expanded data center and AI services. Meanwhile, U.S. policies conditioning access to advanced AI chips on the removal of Chinese core network hardware require Gulf states to navigate conflicting technological relationships. In the UAE, active Chinese technology projects grew to 81 under the Digital Silk Road framework.
China's outbound direct investment into the UAE reached $2.6 billion, more than tripling from the prior reporting year. Cumulative Chinese FDI stock in the Emirates rose to $12.47 billion, alongside bilateral non-oil trade surpassing $100 billion. The influx comes as Chinese enterprises, including China Securities, JINGDONG Property, and Momenta, expand operations in the UAE.
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