Programme

“Seek knowledge even as far as China.” Once, it spoke to the courage to go far for insight. Today, it speaks to something more practical: two-way exchange that turns connectivity into capability. As the China–Dubai partnership moves from trade to investment and regional build-out, Dubai’s D33 agenda sharpens a clear platform with predictability, world-class infrastructure, and the speed to move from intent to execution. For Chinese companies, Dubai can be a high-performance base to build, partner, and scale across MENA and beyond. For Dubai, this partnership accelerates sector growth through investment, innovation, and new value chains. What will it take to turn presence into performance, at regional scale and with global impact?

As Dubai advances on the transformative D33 Economic Agenda, driven by the ambitious mandate to double the size of its economy, the China-Dubai partnership is entering a pivotal new phase. While China remains Dubai’s top trading partner, with non-oil trade reaching $81 billion in 2024, this impressive volume is the foundation, not the ceiling. Where goods flow, capital follows. Propelled by record Greenfield projects and $11 billion in H1 2025 FDI, the momentum has decisively shifted from trade to increased foreign direct investment. In this session, two of Dubai’s key economic leaders articulate the strategic roadmap driving this transformation. Hear how Dubai is empowering Chinese companies to capitalize on the D33 agenda, expand into new global trade corridors, and leverage the city as their definitive global headquarters for expansion.

Chinese manufacturers are driving the future of global e-mobility, but entering the GCC, a market historically defined by a strong preference for petrol vehicles, requires more than just cutting-edge technology. It demands deep consumer trust and robust local infrastructure. For China's leading e-Mobility brands, local partners provide the critical operational backbone, from expansive retail networks and localized after-sales excellence to navigating the rollout of charging infrastructure. In return, Dubai serves as the ultimate global proving ground to showcase where Chinese EVs prove their ability to thrive in extreme climates and exceed the high expectations of premium consumers, effectively validating their technological innovations for the rest of the world. 

This conversation explores the mechanics of these powerful alliances. Leaders from both sides of the partnership will unpack how the convergence of Chinese manufacturing prowess and Dubai's strategic market access is structured to capture market share, build lasting consumer confidence, and establish the emirate as the premier springboard for reshaping sustainable mobility across the broader MENA region.

As China’s technology conglomerates transition from participating in the global digital economy to actively shaping its future, Dubai has emerged as their definitive strategic anchor. Two of China’s most powerful innovators, Tencent and Huawei, stand as premier success stories of this momentum. By operating at the forefront of cloud computing and smart industry solutions, these giants have successfully leveraged Dubai’s world-class infrastructure and pro-business environment to power digital transformation across the Middle East and Africa.
 
In this high-level dialogue, global leaders from Tencent and Huawei will decode the “Dubai Advantage.” Sharing their proven success, the session explores how competing tech titans both find fertile ground in the emirate, and how the D33 Economic Agenda serves as the ultimate multiplier for Chinese enterprises scaling on the global stage.

Dubai has rapidly evolved into a powerhouse ecosystem where bold ideas are not only born but transformed into multinational enterprises. A new generation of Chinese entrepreneurs are proving that the emirate is the ultimate launchpad to build businesses from scratch and scale them across borders. By leveraging Dubai’s world-class infrastructure and dynamic business environment, these founders are transforming regional operations into global success stories.
 
The “proof of concept” is visible across a spectrum of industries. From logistics pioneers solving last-mile challenges and digital entertainment connecting millions, to expansive retail chains and real estate developers reshaping the urban landscape, these enterprises demonstrate a shared trajectory: They utilized Dubai not merely as a market, but as a robust operational launchpad. Starting from scratch, they leveraged the emirate’s pro-business ecosystem to build resilient business models, rapidly transforming local startups into multinational powerhouses that now span major global capital markets. In this session, pioneering leaders share the blueprints of their success. The dialogue will explore how the next wave of innovators can replicate these entrepreneurial journeys, utilizing Dubai’s ecosystem to test, iterate, and accelerate their global expansion.

“The future of mobility in Dubai will be smarter, safer, more efficient, and more inclusive.” This vision, articulated by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the World Governments Summit 2026, is now operational reality. This milestone is the direct result of a powerful collaboration between the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Baidu Apollo Go. Showcasing Dubai’s unmatched regulatory agility and smart infrastructure, the transition from initial discussions to live operational trials was executed in a mere 10 months.

The session will explore how Dubai’s public-private synergies are delivering on the D33 agenda by consolidating the emirate’s position as a top three global city and utilizing artificial intelligence to transform 25% of all transportation into autonomous journeys by 2030.

In a recalibrating global economy, Chinese capital is increasingly targeting high-growth ecosystems to generate sustainable returns. Dubai has emerged not just as a capital hub, but as a critical portfolio diversifier. Chinese funds are unlocking powerful new avenues for positive yield through a two-pronged approach: integrating Dubai's homegrown innovative startups into their broader investment strategies and actively bringing high-potential Chinese enterprises to the emirate to scale, localize, and attract regional re-investment. Ultimately, this dual strategy serves as a proven yield enabler for total portfolios, while providing a de-risked expansion corridor into the wider MENA market.

In this session, leading voices in asset management and cross-border venture capital unpack this evolving paradigm. The dialogue will explore practical strategies for how Chinese investors can capture alpha by backing the next generation of innovators from both China and Dubai, leveraging the emirate as a springboard for regional growth and robust financial returns.

Dubai’s identity has long been defined by its role as a global crossroads of trade. Recognizing this unique geographical advantage, the emirate strategically developed a world-class logistics ecosystem with a singular purpose: to serve the flow of commerce. By transforming physical connectivity into operational efficiency, Dubai has ensured that logistics functions not merely as transport, but as a vital enabler that makes trade faster, smarter, and more scalable.
 
In this session, industry leaders across the supply chain explore how this foundation continues to power global business. The dialogue examines how integrated infrastructure and seamless fulfilment strategies act as force multipliers for trade, enabling companies to leverage Dubai’s position to move goods and access markets with unprecedented speed. The session will also highlight the growth opportunities unlocked by creating synergies between Dubai D33 Agenda and the “Going Global” strategies driven by Chinese firms. 

Dubai is moving beyond the concept of a “sandbox” to become a powerhouse for applied R&D. By combining unparalleled physical infrastructure with transparent regulation, Dubai offers global innovators a unique proposition: a city-scale co-developer ready to turn ambitious blueprints into deployed industrial reality.
 
This proactive ecosystem functions as a catalyst for scale. It bridges the critical gap between laboratory potential and market adoption by providing a live operational environment where complex solutions are validated under real-world constraints. For investors and founders, this translates into a de-risked pathway for expansion, ensuring that capital is deployed into ventures backed by regulatory clarity, supply chain resilience, and a clear route to commercialization.
 
In this session, key ecosystem architects join leading voices in technology investment and industrial innovation to explore how this powerful synergy of policy, capital, and practice is accelerating the journey from prototype to global impact.

The Connect Hub facilitates high-impact networking throughout the day. Providing a dedicated space for pre-scheduled 1-on-1 meetings, it allows Chinese and Dubai delegates to move beyond the plenary sessions and engage in direct, private discussions to explore collaboration, investment, and market expansion.

Designed for companies that have moved past the exploration phase and are ready for execution, these meetings function as a high-intensity problem-solving lab. The clinic gathers a cohort of businesses committed to landing in Dubai and connects them directly with experts from the city’s business ecosystem.

This format allows delegates to table specific, operational challenges, ranging from company registration structures and tax compliance (Corporate Tax/VAT) to utility setup, land acquisition, and visa regulations. Representatives from Dubai Chambers will be present to provide immediate answers, clarify regulatory nuances, and clear the path for a seamless business launch.

A high-level alignment convening leadership from Dubai Chambers and China’s leading CCPITs. Acting as the architect for future bilateral engagement, this exclusive exchange explores how ecosystem players can jointly unlock new growth horizons for their members. The discussion centres on practical collaboration: building cross-market connectivity, enhancing trade facilitation, and aligning Chinese industry strengths with the priority sectors of the D33 Agenda.

Capital is the ultimate accelerator for globalization. This meeting redefines the role of Chinese VCs and PEs from financial backers to navigators of corporate expansion. It gathers leading investment institutions and their high-potential portfolio companies for a candid dialogue with Dubai’s leading family businesses and investors.

This is not a fundraising pitch, rather, it is a strategic exploration of market fit and synergy.

• For Chinese enterprises: To explore “What works in Dubai?” by engaging with local capital on business models, local partnerships, and adaptation strategies.
• For Dubai Investors: To gain a frontline view of China’s top-tier innovations and explore how to collaborate with or support these mature startups in the MENA region.

The goal is to foster a post-investment internationalization ecosystem where capital supports not just funding, but market success.