The UAE and China recently launched the Qingdao Overseas Integrated Service Center at the China-Arab Business Forum held in Qingdao, which is aimed at increasing the $400 billion trade between China and the Arab world.
Organized by the Qingdao Municipal People’s Government and China India Middle East and North Africa (CHIMENA) Business Council, the China-Arab Business Forum was co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce.
A total of 40 projects were signed during the China-Arab Business Forum, with a total value of $5.93 billion, covering industries such as high-end equipment, new energy and new materials, and next-generation information technology.
New bridge for China-Arab economic, trade cooperation
The launch of the Qingdao Overseas Integrated Service Center (QOISC) comes six months after two-way trade between China and Arab countries saw a substantial increase, exceeding $400 billion in 2024. This represents a more than tenfold increase from $36.7 billion in 2004. More than 15,500 Chinese companies have invested more than $6 billion in the UAE, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy.
The Qingdao Overseas Integrated Service Center was established by the SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co. Ltd. and Hisense Group. Leveraging the two companies’ long-standing presence and influence in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries, the center aims to serve as a new bridge for China-Arab economic and trade cooperation and to better support the overseas development of enterprises.
“The launch of the Qingdao Overseas Integrated Service Center (QOISC) is a significant move that will play a significant role in accelerating the $400 billion trade between the two growing economic blocs. The QOISC combines the strength of the public and private sector to push for greater economic cooperation that will bring not only the businesses, but also the people of these regions closer together through trade, tourism and cultural cooperation,” said Mohammed Saqib, Secretary-General of CHIMENA Business Council.
Saqib explains that, using the UAE as a hub, the service center will accelerate the formation of an export-oriented alliance targeting regional markets.
“It will actively engage in activities such as overseas industrial parks, international exhibitions and procurement resource matching, linking business opportunities, optimizing resources and fostering coordinated development. This will further contribute to deepening trade and investment partnerships and to jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative,” he added.
Read: DXB to serve over 3.4 million guests in 13 days as summer surge kicks off
Arab-China ties key in diversify partnerships
Trade between China and Arab countries has a long history, dating back over 2,000 years, with China being an important trading destination for the Arab world since the Islamic caliphate, later through the Silk Route that connected China with the Arab World.
Saudi Arabia is a key trading partner for China, with a bilateral trade volume of $107.53 billion in 2024, while trade between China and the UAE reached $101.838 billion, a 7.2 percent increase year-on-year, demonstrating resilience in trade despite global economic fluctuations.
China’s engagement with Arab states is viewed as a strategic move to diversify partnerships and reduce reliance on any single power, particularly the United States. Chinese companies are increasingly involved in various sectors in Arab countries, including energy, infrastructure, manufacturing and new energy. Chinese companies are also participating in infrastructure projects like ports and industrial zones, contributing to the development of trade hubs in the region.
