Tech outlet 36Kr reports that more than 100 senior figures from Dubai’s government and private sector will travel to Shenzhen on 14 October for the China edition of the Dubai Business Forum. The delegation, larger than the inaugural 2024 visit, will offer one-on-one advisory ‘market-access clinics’ covering company registration, tax and visa procedures in the Gulf emirate. Organisers say the forum comes as UAE non-oil trade hit a record 1.937 trillion dirhams in H1 2026, with China accounting for 180.7 billion dirhams and remaining Dubai’s top partner. Sectors highlighted for bilateral expansion include electric vehicles, AI logistics and green finance—areas where Shenzhen’s start-ups are active. For mobility teams, the key takeaway is that Dubai continues to court Chinese investment by streamlining residence visas and 100 % foreign-ownership zones. Delegates are expected to brief Chinese firms on the UAE’s newly extended 10-year Golden Visa for key talent and the recently liberalised corporate-tax regime. Human-resources directors planning to relocate staff to Dubai should watch the closed-door sessions on Gulf payroll compliance and dependent-visa sponsorship, while Chinese exporters can use the Shenzhen roadshow to secure invitation letters needed for UAE multiple-entry business visas. Registration for the Shenzhen forum closes on 7 October; companies targeting Middle-East expansion may need to fast-track internal approvals to secure seats. Attendance signals to Emirati partners that Chinese firms remain outward-looking despite a slower domestic economy.
Source: 36Kr Global
