Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah's Department of Government Relations (DGR) and the Higher Committee for Economic Integration, met with Ou Boqian, Consul General of China in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, to discuss bilateral collaboration across technology, industry, and healthcare sectors. The talks examined potential partnerships in data centres, artificial intelligence, automotive manufacturing, and research and development.
The meeting also evaluated a proposal to establish a Chinese cultural institute in Sharjah to provide language instruction and facilitate institutional and community exchange. The proposal follows significant travel growth, with entries by UAE citizens into China rising by 113% in 2025, and the UAE receiving more than one million Chinese tourists in 2024.
According to official data highlighted during the discussions, trade between Sharjah and China reached approximately AED 6.3 billion in 2025. Furthermore, as of June 2026, 851 Chinese enterprises were operating in the emirate, supporting Sharjah's push into knowledge-based and advanced manufacturing sectors, which currently represent roughly 17% of the emirate's GDP.
The discussions reflect ongoing institutional engagement, following an MoU signed in June 2024 with Shandong Province's Foreign Affairs Office and a DGR business delegation to Guangdong Province in June 2026 exploring smart mobility and green technology.
Sources
- Sharjah24 · 2026-10-09
