Explore the industries creating new opportunities for cooperation across both markets.
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The benchmark TD22 supertanker freight rate for shipping crude oil from the US to China slipped to $634,974 per day after hitting an all-time peak of $637,675 on October 8. Elevated chartering costs have prompted Chinese refiners to turn to Middle Eastern and Latin American suppliers for crude supplies.
A group of 19 young Emiratis completed a specialized field research programme in Shanghai focused on UAE-China cooperation. The initiative examined industrial partnerships, traditional Chinese medicine, and public governance through site visits and collaborative research.
Sharjah leadership met with China's Consul General in Dubai to discuss commercial partnerships across artificial intelligence, regional data centers, healthcare, and automotive manufacturing. Bilateral trade between the emirate and China reached roughly AED 6.3 billion in 2025, with 851 Chinese enterprises operating in Sharjah as of June 2026. The meeting also addressed plans to establish a dedicated Chinese cultural and language institute.
A commentary by Reuters columnist Mike Dolan examines how regional conflict and shifting trade patterns are testing the traditional petrodollar system. According to U.S. Treasury data cited in the analysis, Saudi Arabia and the UAE hold nearly $250 billion in U.S. Treasuries, while Deutsche Bank notes Saudi oil exports to China are now four times larger than those to the United States. The piece highlights growing scrutiny over non-dollar settlements, including the petroyuan, and the evolving economic alignment between Gulf producers and Asian markets.
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