Understand the policies, laws and regulations shaping business across China and the UAE.
Business registration · Investment · Taxation · Customs · Trade · Financial regulation · Employment · Visas · Free-zone policies. Every update identifies the issuing authority, jurisdiction, publication date, effective date and official source.
The Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union officially took effect on 6 October 2026. The pact eliminates or lowers tariffs on over 86 percent of tariff lines, covering about 96 percent of traded goods value. Non-oil bilateral trade reached $33.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach nearly $50 billion by 2032.
The UAE Government has introduced the Emirati Work Bundle in the Private Sector to integrate employment processes into a single digital platform. The system combines stages from Nafis candidate matching to formal job appointment, establishment quota approvals, and employee registration. It is part of the federal Zero Bureaucracy Programme aimed at reducing administrative steps and supporting private-sector compliance.
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.
Hundreds of private school and university educators in Dubai have qualified for 10-year residency under a specialized Golden Visa initiative. Launched under directives from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the programme has received more than 835 applications since its rollout in October 2024. The scheme forms part of Dubai's Education 33 strategy to attract and retain educational talent.
Knowledge and Human Development Authority
United Arab Emirates
Effective October 5, 2024
Final rule
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