Ports, shipping, aviation cargo, warehousing and trade
Dubai Customs announced that cashless payment transactions reached 99.3% in the first half of 2026. The department handled 23 million customs transactions with a 99.6% digital channel adoption rate.
UAE Presidential Special Envoy Khaldoon Al Mubarak met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing to review bilateral relations. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation across energy, investment, advanced technology, and trade under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2018.
Dubai warehouse tenants are opting to renew existing leases rather than commit to new spaces amid regional geopolitical uncertainty. Data from Cavendish Maxwell shows warehouse lease renewals surged 21.6% to a record high in the first half of 2026, while new lease contracts dropped 51.8% year-on-year. Despite the cautious sentiment, average rents in Dubai increased 12.4% over the same period.
The Dubai Business Forum – China concluded in Shenzhen with 854 Chinese investors and business leaders alongside a 112-member delegation from Dubai Chambers. Non-oil trade between Dubai and China reached AED 363.5 billion in 2025, having grown 118.4% since 2016. Active Chinese member companies in the Dubai Chamber of Commerce reached 6,650 by late September 2026.
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