Investopia Hosts China-Arab Entrepreneurs Summit to Promote Economic Cooperation and Explore New Investment Opportunities

The summit discussed key Arab-China areas of collaboration, including:

• Using artificial intelligence and robotics to strengthen economic partnerships between the Arab world and China.
• Cross-border financial cooperation and its role in supporting startups.
• Global investment flows and their role in promoting innovation and supporting the transition towards a new economy.
• The role of Business-oriented education can play to empower the future workforce.
• Investing in education to create more resilient SMEs to withstand global economic disruptions

Investopia 2025 hosted a new edition of the China-Arab Entrepreneurs Summit, under the theme “Seizing New Opportunities,” in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of Investopia; His Excellency Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Co-Chairman of Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation and former Prime Minister of France; His Excellency Zhao Liang, Charge d’affaires of Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the UAE. The Summit saw several meetings with the participation of 18 speakers, and the participation and presence of more than 400 leaders, decision-makers and entrepreneurs from the Arab world and China.

New Chapter of Arab-China Relations

In his opening statement, His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of Investopia, underlined that the Summit represents a new chapter in the economic relations between the Arab countries and China, noting that joint relations have witnessed sustained momentum over the past period and that the UAE is keen to contribute to the development of this strategic partnership, pushing it to more advanced and prosperous levels.

The UAE and China enjoy strong economic and trade relations, with China being the UAE's largest trading partner and the UAE remaining China's largest partner in the Middle East and North Africa region. Nearly 15,500 Chinese companies have operated in the UAE markets so far. H.E. stated: “We are confident that the common denominators of visions and strategies aimed at expanding into new sectors of the economy will enhance the future of economic and investment relations.”

A strong and growing UAE-China economic partnership

His Excellency affirmed that the UAE market has succeeded in attracting significant Chinese investments over the past decades, with hundreds of Chinese companies investing more than $6 billion in various sectors such as retail, financial services, real estate, and construction, building on the competitive business environment developed by the country, which include long-term residency programs and 100% foreign ownership of companies and streamlined business licensing procedures and ease of business establishment, thereby establishing the UAE's position as a leading business and investment destination, in the light of the objectives of ‘We the UAE 2031.’

H.E. explained that the UAE supports the Belt and Road Initiative to promote shared prosperity and economic development. The initiative contributed to trade development, increased investment flows, and extended economic partnerships that benefit both Arab and Chinese sides.

Call to action for a resilient economic future

H.E. bin Touq called on the importance of employing modern technologies, enhancing the entrepreneurship environment, and transforming global economic challenges into opportunities by strengthening the resilience of the region's economies. H.E. said: “The China-Arab Entrepreneurs Summit is a vital platform for strengthening economic and investment partnerships between the Arab world and China and provides an important opportunity to explore new prospects in the sectors of the new economy, including technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, thus contributing to sustainable development and shared prosperity.”

His Excellency Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France and Co-Chairman of the Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation, said: “We believe in the great potential for economic growth in the Middle East over the next decade, and the UAE is an ideal hub for Chinese companies to establish a local presence connecting leading business, public policy, and community leaders across the region and the world.”

William Wang, Chief Representative for Middle East & Africa at SIEF, said: “Over the past 10 years, we have helped more than 800 Chinese business and public policy leaders gain firsthand experience of the UAE’s business environment. It has allowed them to explore the country’s investment and collaboration opportunities for their businesses. Moreover, we have played a pivotal role in facilitating their expansion into new markets, leveraging the UAE’s openness and strategic position as a hub connecting regional and global markets.”

New Horizons for AI and Investment

The Summit featured sessions for a distinguished lineup of speakers from both the Arab and Chinese sides. Xu Xiaolan, Chairman of the Chinese Institute of Electronics and Former Vice Minister of Industry and IT of China, delivered a keynote speech titled “Developing the Robotics Industry: New Opportunities of the Intelligent Era.” She highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence and robotics technologies in strengthening economic partnerships between the Arab world and China.

Tripartite Partnership to Support the New Economy

The summit featured a high-level dialogue session titled "Financing Innovation and Growth," which included a Sino-Arab-American dialogue on the role of financial institutions in driving the new economy and industrial development through international collaboration. Speakers discussed the critical role financial institutions play in accelerating industrial transformation and fostering innovation, emphasizing that cross-border financial cooperation is a key enabler for supporting startups and providing entrepreneurs with the necessary funding to develop their projects.

A Catalyst for New Economy Growth

In the “Leveraging Cross-Border Investment to Support New Economy Growth” session, participants explored ways to increase global investment flows and their role in supporting startups and driving innovation. Speakers noted that economic cooperation between Arab, Chinese, and international markets contributes to building a sustainable investment ecosystem, facilitating the transition to the new economy by linking emerging markets with global financing opportunities.

Building Competitive Capabilities for the New Economy Era

His Excellency Hamad Al Mazrouei, CEO of the ADGM Registration Authority, delivered a speech titled "Empowering Future Workforce." He underscored that workforce empowerment has become a fundamental pillar in driving economic growth and sustainable development. Al Mazrouei highlighted the importance of developing digital skills and enhancing training and qualification programs to keep pace with the rapidly evolving job market. He stressed that investing in education and professional development is essential to ensure workforce adaptability in an era of technological transformations while contributing to the expansion of the new economy.

Education for More Resilient and Sustainable Businesses Amid Global Transformations

As part of the summit, the session " Unveiling Tomorrow’s Minds" explored the pivotal role of education in driving business development and preparing future global leaders to face today's challenges while building a more sustainable future. The session focused on how academic institutions reshape business environments to align with rapid technological advancements and economic shifts. Speakers underscored the importance of investing in education to equip businesses and organizations for a more competitive and dynamic future.

Six New Partnerships to Advance Sino-Arab Collaboration

During the summit, SIEF announced the signing of six new strategic partnerships with leading institutions in the presence of H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri and Jean-Pierre Raffarin. The new partners included Investopia, The Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries, Abu Dhabi Global Market Academy, Abu Dhabi School of Management, Hub 71, Saal, and WeCarbon.

The Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation (SIEF) is a global, non-profit, and non-partisan organization with over 15,000 imitational members worldwide. Established in 2008 by Rt Hon. Gordon Brown, H.E. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Hon. John Howard, and H.E. Long Yongtu, SIEF is headquartered in Beijing and established its regional headquarters in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) earlier this year. The federation aims to be a trusted facilitator connecting leading business leaders across industries, continents, and cultures.

Since 2023, SIEF has hosted the annual China-Arab Entrepreneurs Summit, a landmark initiative to connect top business and public sector leaders from China and the Middle East.