Dubai to hold business forum in Shenzhen in mid-October

Dubai Chambers will hold the Dubai Business Forum – China in Shenzhen on Oct. 14, as the city looks to deepen trade, investment, and technology ties with Chinese companies amid growing economic engagement between China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The forum, themed "Momentum at Scale: Accelerating Shared Success," will bring together business leaders, investors, multinational companies, and technology firms from China and Dubai to discuss cooperation in sectors including the digital economy, emerging technologies, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, Dubai Chambers said in a statement.

The agenda will include panel discussions and networking events aimed at facilitating cross-border investment and commercial partnerships.

The event comes as commercial ties between China and the UAE continue to expand. Dubai Chambers said 292 Chinese companies joined the Dubai Chambers of Commerce, one of the three entities under Dubai Chambers, in the first quarter of 2026, bringing the total number of active Chinese member companies to 6,532 by the end of March.

According to figures cited by Dubai Chambers, non-oil trade between China and the UAE reached $111.5 billion in 2025, up 24.5% from a year earlier.

"Dubai and China share deep economic ties built on trade, investment, innovation, and a mutual commitment to sustainable growth," said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers.

"The forum will serve as a strategic platform to explore high-impact opportunities in sectors including the digital economy, emerging technologies, logistics, and advanced manufacturing," he said.

Shenzhen was chosen as the host city because of its position as a leading hub for technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing within China's Greater Bay Area, according to the statement.

The Shenzhen event will mark the fifth international edition of the Dubai Business Forum and the second to be held in China, following a previous edition in Beijing in 2024 that attracted more than 800 business leaders, according to Dubai Chambers.