Ministry of Economy sets up UAE pavilion at China-ASEAN Expo to strengthen collaboration prospects with China and Southeast Asian nations in areas of trade, investment & logistics

• UAE participates as a ‘special partner’ at the Expo’s 21^st edition

• E. Al Saleh emphasizes Expo’s key role in fostering new partnerships with ASEAN private sector

The Ministry of Economy (MoEc) set up the UAE pavilion at the 21st edition of the China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit held in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Province, from September 24 to 28. The UAE delegation was led by H.E. Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, accompanied by H.E. Mariam AlShamsi, Consul General of the UAE in Guangzhou, and Abdullah Al Bashi Al Naemi, Commercial Attaché of the UAE to the People's Republic of China.

H.E. Al Saleh took part in the ‘High-Quality Pilot Free Trade Zone Development Conference’ held on the sidelines of the Expo and held a meeting with H.E. Tianli Lan, the Governor of Guangxi Province, in the presence of several officials and city officials. The meeting explored topics of shared interests, particularly with regard to development initiatives and trade in light of the UAE’s growing partnership with the Guangxi province, which include a number of economic projects and agreements.

In his opening speech at the China-ASEAN Expo, H.E. Al Saleh highlighted the UAE's participation in the event as a special partner, becoming the first GCC country to participate in this capacity. It demonstrates the depth and strength of UAE-China bilateral ties, which continue to flourish across all domains, particularly on economic and trade fronts. Furthermore, the UAE maintains robust ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). H.E. highlighted that the expo presents a valuable opportunity to enhance cooperation between the UAE and ASEAN countries in various sectors, notably logistics projects, investment attraction, and renewable energy.

China is the UAE’s number one global trading partner, accounting for more than 11 per cent of the country's non-oil trade. The trade volume between the two countries amounted to USD 42 billion in the first half of 2024, up three percent compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. The total number of Chinese businesses operating in the UAE currently totals 15,500, spanning a range of promising economic sectors.

H.E. added, "The non-oil trade between the UAE and ASEAN countries has experienced remarkable growth in the recent period. In the first half of 2024, the value of this trade amounted to approximately USD 18 billion, reflecting 5.3 per cent and 19.2 per cent growth compared to the corresponding periods in 2023 and 2022 respectively. The contribution of the ASEAN countries to the UAE's non-oil trade stands at five per cent."

The UAE had forged comprehensive economic partnership agreements (CEPA) with two ASEAN members, Indonesia and Cambodia, which took effect in the beginning of 2024. Negotiations are currently progressing for the establishment of similar economic partnerships with Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

During his meeting with H.E. Tianli Lan, the Governor of Guangxi Province on the sidelines of the Free Trade Zone Development Conference, H.E. Al Saleh said: "The economic and trade cooperation between the UAE and Guangxi has experienced significant progress in recent years, particularly in areas including investment, e-commerce, industry, technology, and infrastructure. The trade volume between Guangxi and the UAE reached approximately USD 1 billion compared to USD 623 million in 2022, with over 63 per cent per cent growth. Our cooperation spans key economic and investment sectors such as the automotive industry, construction materials, and food products."