Fortifying connections: CEO of Dubai Chambers emphasizes relationships with China
In an exclusive interview with CGTN, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, discussed the primary goal of the Dubai Business Forum – China in Beijing and shared his hopes for enhanced China-UAE collaboration in emerging sectors.
TroibNews 
Dubai Chambers, one of the largest membership-based chambers of commerce globally, is set to strengthen China-UAE economic ties by holding the Dubai Business Forum – China in Beijing on August 21.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, discussed with CGTN the significant goals of this upcoming premier event and his outlook on the future of China-UAE collaborations in new industries.
**Flagship event for exchanges**
China holds the position of Dubai's top trading partner, prompting Dubai Chambers to fully organize this event aimed at deepening business interactions between Chinese and Dubai-based companies, elevating mutual investment prospects, and boosting trade connections, noted Mohammad.
"It can be fintech, agri-tech, food security, which is the importance of this growing globally, sustainability, and the changes that we see, especially after the UAE hosted COP28," he shared.
"I think in the last few years, companies started witnessing the positive impact of sustainability on their profitability and their own sustainable growth," Mohammad added, indicating the scope of critical issues to be explored at the forum.
He also anticipated productive discussions at the event that would beneficially influence trade and investment dynamics and foster ongoing mutual understanding of diverse social and business cultures.
**Chinese market matters**
Identified as a nonprofit public organization, Dubai Chambers aids Dubai's global aspirations through its 31 offices worldwide, distinctively maintaining multiple offices in China alone.
"The purpose of these offices is not limited to promotion only. It is to help attracting more foreign direct investment in Dubai and support any Dubai-based company to expand globally," Mohammad explained, underlining their role in facilitating regional expansion for Emirati and international companies, particularly Chinese companies in Dubai, to broader markets such as Africa, GCC, Central Asia, and South Asia.
"The purpose of these offices is not limited to promotion only. It is to help attracting more foreign direct investment in Dubai and support any Dubai-based company to expand globally," said Mohammad.
This year's 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the UAE highlights the strategic importance of the Chinese market.
"Having a flagship event in China and the anniversary of the 40th year, this shows the importance of the Chinese market for us in Dubai. So this was not a coincidence. This was a planned approach to ensure that we appreciate the long-standing growing relationship between China and to try to strengthen the bridge when it comes to business and investment between Dubai and our partners in China."
**Cooperation ahead**
Anticipating the growth potential in emerging sectors like AI and fintech, Mohammad views Dubai as an ideal regional hub ready to link its business partners worldwide.
The Expand More Star event last year demonstrated its capacity by drawing roughly 1,000 tech startups and around the same number of investors globally. It's designed to aid startups in scaling operations and connecting with suitable partners for global expansion.
"Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy overlooks the environment and the ecosystem of the digital economy, works with policymakers and the government to ensure that we have the right policies in place when it comes to attracting retention talent, the digital talent, helping the talent to start their tech startups, taking these tech startups into different phases of scaling up their business, hoping to have more unicorns in the future," he detailed.
"We noticed an increased inflow of tech Chinese companies coming into the city, and what's more interesting is that a good number of them are small and medium businesses." Mohammad remarked on the rising significance of technology in economic expansion and cooperation.
"We encourage more Chinese businesses to come (and) invest in the city, and we will help them to find the relevant partner when it comes to the area of investment," he concluded.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, discussed with CGTN the significant goals of this upcoming premier event and his outlook on the future of China-UAE collaborations in new industries.
**Flagship event for exchanges**
China holds the position of Dubai's top trading partner, prompting Dubai Chambers to fully organize this event aimed at deepening business interactions between Chinese and Dubai-based companies, elevating mutual investment prospects, and boosting trade connections, noted Mohammad.
"It can be fintech, agri-tech, food security, which is the importance of this growing globally, sustainability, and the changes that we see, especially after the UAE hosted COP28," he shared.
"I think in the last few years, companies started witnessing the positive impact of sustainability on their profitability and their own sustainable growth," Mohammad added, indicating the scope of critical issues to be explored at the forum.
He also anticipated productive discussions at the event that would beneficially influence trade and investment dynamics and foster ongoing mutual understanding of diverse social and business cultures.
**Chinese market matters**
Identified as a nonprofit public organization, Dubai Chambers aids Dubai's global aspirations through its 31 offices worldwide, distinctively maintaining multiple offices in China alone.
"The purpose of these offices is not limited to promotion only. It is to help attracting more foreign direct investment in Dubai and support any Dubai-based company to expand globally," Mohammad explained, underlining their role in facilitating regional expansion for Emirati and international companies, particularly Chinese companies in Dubai, to broader markets such as Africa, GCC, Central Asia, and South Asia.
"The purpose of these offices is not limited to promotion only. It is to help attracting more foreign direct investment in Dubai and support any Dubai-based company to expand globally," said Mohammad.
This year's 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and the UAE highlights the strategic importance of the Chinese market.
"Having a flagship event in China and the anniversary of the 40th year, this shows the importance of the Chinese market for us in Dubai. So this was not a coincidence. This was a planned approach to ensure that we appreciate the long-standing growing relationship between China and to try to strengthen the bridge when it comes to business and investment between Dubai and our partners in China."
**Cooperation ahead**
Anticipating the growth potential in emerging sectors like AI and fintech, Mohammad views Dubai as an ideal regional hub ready to link its business partners worldwide.
The Expand More Star event last year demonstrated its capacity by drawing roughly 1,000 tech startups and around the same number of investors globally. It's designed to aid startups in scaling operations and connecting with suitable partners for global expansion.
"Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy overlooks the environment and the ecosystem of the digital economy, works with policymakers and the government to ensure that we have the right policies in place when it comes to attracting retention talent, the digital talent, helping the talent to start their tech startups, taking these tech startups into different phases of scaling up their business, hoping to have more unicorns in the future," he detailed.
"We noticed an increased inflow of tech Chinese companies coming into the city, and what's more interesting is that a good number of them are small and medium businesses." Mohammad remarked on the rising significance of technology in economic expansion and cooperation.
"We encourage more Chinese businesses to come (and) invest in the city, and we will help them to find the relevant partner when it comes to the area of investment," he concluded.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
