Dubai Industrial Park (DI), one of the largest industrial hubs in Dubai and a member of TECOM Group, reaffirmed its commitment to China as a key investor in the burgeoning Middle East food industry and to further expand its bilateral relations, during the visit of a senior DI delegation to China.
The delegation, led by Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, Managing Director of Dubai Industrial Park, held several meetings with government organizations and business partners in China to introduce Dubai Industrial Park and highlight its role in advancing Dubai’s economic diversification efforts and increasing the UAE’s non-oil GDP. In addition to providing a detailed overview of the diverse components of DI, the delegates also highlighted a range of offerings for their Chinese counterpart to increase local food production, benefitting from the country’s world-class ground, marine and aerial infrastructure as well as its strategic location at the crossroads between East and West.
Furthermore, the delegation attended meetings with and toured the facilities of DI’s 100th business partner, the industrial group Lesso, in the major cities of Fushun and Guangzhou. Spanning an area of 600,000 square feet, the one-stop facility provides all services related to cover sanitary ware, integral kitchen, PVC profile doors and windows, decorative plates, fire-fighting equipment, hygiene materials, environmental protection, home furnishing and building material.
The delegates exchanged experiences and best practices in manufacturing and logistics with their Chinese hosts, examined potential synergies, and explored the most effective ways to boost cooperation with the Chinese stakeholders. In addition, they discussed how Dubai Industrial Park can help companies from Fushun and Guangzhou achieve their international business expansion objectives.
The strategic visit followed a signed agreement in 2017, between DI and the Chinese enterprise Ningxia Forward Fund Management Company to build a China-UAE industrial food hub in the emirate.
Speaking on the occasion, Al-Shawareb said: “The synergy between China and the UAE is an exemplary model of cooperation, understanding and mutual interest. Today, China is in DI’s burgeoning expansion of the trade industry.”
He added: “Its value proposition, connectivity and state-of-the-art infrastructure places Dubai Industrial Park in prime position to bolster trade and investment relations as the UAE builds an economy that is future ready. We continue to forge productive partnerships that contribute to the diversification of the national economy and create investment opportunities to drive sustainable economic development. Our efforts at this stage mainly aim to enhance the UAE’s global competitiveness and establish it as the center of the manufacturing and trade industry capable of handling unprecedented growth in the coming years.”
Trade between China and the UAE has witnessed an upward momentum lately, generating revenue worth AED102.9 billion during Q1-Q3 2018 – a testament to the strength of the trade relations between the two countries. DI maintains its long-term commitment to supporting economic development in China through creating new avenues for trade and investment in line with the country's efforts to diversify its economy and leverage promising opportunities for growth.