Abu Dhabi – Masdar City Free Zone (MCFZ), Abu Dhabi’s premier free zone designed to foster collaboration among businesses in technology and sustainability, has expanded its international footprint with the opening of its first representative office in China, a bold step that reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for innovation and sustainable economic growth. In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), this milestone was marked by the signing of key strategic landmark Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) during a high-profile roadshow in Suzhou and Beijing, strengthening economic, technological, and sustainability ties between the UAE and China, and supporting the UAE’s Falcon Economy vision.

Home to over 2,000 companies from more than 90 countries, Masdar City Free Zone is a recognized business hub in Abu Dhabi, focused on sustainable growth, clean technology, and a testbed for innovation, across high-impact sectors including artificial intelligence, clean technology, life sciences, smart mobility, agritech, and space technology. The expansion into China builds on Masdar City’s mission to attract Foreign Direct Investment, accelerate technology transfer, and create new opportunities for collaboration between two of the world’s leading centers of innovation.

The Masdar City Free Zone China representative office inauguration in Suzhou Industrial Park was the centerpiece of a week-long UAE–China business roadshow, jointly organized with A&A Associates and supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. The roadshow brought together Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies, government officials, investors, and industry leaders in AI, biotech, robotics, and sustainable mobility.

During the roadshow, Masdar City Free Zone signed a number of strategic MOU’s. The following are key MOUs that form the foundation of its China expansion:

• Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), one of China’s most advanced industrial and innovation hubs, will collaborate with Masdar City to jointly promote investment, trade, and innovation, with a focus on technology, renewable energy, and sustainable development. The agreement creates direct institutional links between two leading free zones and opens new pathways for knowledge exchange and business facilitation.

• Suzhou Yingdi Consultants Co. Ltd will manage Masdar City’s new representative office in Suzhou Industrial Park, promoting the Free Zone to Chinese businesses and facilitating their setup in Abu Dhabi. This operational partnership ensures that companies entering the UAE market benefit from Masdar City’s integrated ecosystem, advanced infrastructure, and sustainability-first governance from day one.

• Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovation Development Co., Ltd, a premier high-tech ecosystem in Beijing, will work with Masdar City to develop tailored business packages for Chinese startups, streamline business setup in the UAE, and foster entrepreneurship, networking, and joint marketing. This collaboration connects Masdar City’s innovation clusters with Beijing’s dynamic technology community, enabling cross-border partnerships in AI, biotech, clean technology, and smart city innovation, with a long-term vision to create globally scalable models for sustainable urban development. Facilitated through the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, this initiative directly supports the UAE’s Falcon Economy by attracting high-impact industries and enabling technology transfer.

Together, these agreements position Masdar City Free Zone as a gateway for Chinese innovation into the Middle East, while offering UAE-based companies’ access to China’s dynamic technology and industrial hubs. They also reinforce Masdar City’s role in advancing national priorities by driving sustainable economic diversification and measurable environmental impact.

"Masdar City’s expansion into China marks a new chapter in our mission to connect global innovation ecosystems and strengthen the bridge between Abu Dhabi and the world’s leading technology hubs. By partnering with leading Chinese institutions, we are creating pathways for technology exchange, investment, and sustainable growth that deliver measurable benefits to both nations," said Dr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director, Free Zone and Sustainable Development, Masdar City. "This is a tangible step towards advancing the UAE’s Falcon Economy vision."

With its integrated ecosystem, advanced infrastructure, and sustainability-first governance, Masdar City offers companies a platform to pilot, scale, and commercialize solutions that address global challenges. The China partnerships extend this platform internationally, making Masdar City not only a hub for innovation in Abu Dhabi, but a global testbed for technology, entrepreneurship, and climate solutions.

For more information on Masdar City’s Free Zone and partnership opportunities, visit www.masdarcity.ae.

Note to the editor

Historically, Masdar City and Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) underwent a strategic separation in late 2022 to maximize their contributions to the UAE and the world while ensuring brand continuity for both entities. Please do not abbreviate Masdar City to Masdar. Masdar City is now a separate legal entity.

About Masdar City

Masdar City is a pioneering sustainable urban community, a world-class business and technology hub, and a “green print” for cities that want to be part of the solution to climate change. With one of the largest clusters of LEED Platinum buildings in the world, we are dedicated to creating a new kind of city, a new way of working and living, and a more sustainable future for everyone.

The Masdar City Free Zone is a diverse, innovative, and ambitious group of over 2,000 organizations that benefit from comprehensive business support as well as the city’s rich ecosystem. Tenants include the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the UAE Space Agency, Siemens Energy, G42, the Advanced Technology Research Council, several Fortune 500 companies, and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. The Masdar City Free Zone also includes The Catalyst, a clean-tech start-up investor powered by both Masdar City and BP.