ABU DHABI- China Trade Week UAE, which opened today at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, ADNEC, is poised to drive key relations between the two nations.

The fifth edition of the annual event was officially opened by Juma Mohamed Al Kait, Assistant Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, along with Lin Yaduo, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the UAE.

China has been Dubais biggest trading partner since 2014 and the second-largest trading partner of the UAE since 2011. With bilateral trade between the two countries reaching US$45 billion in 2016, and while bilateral trade and business are key relationship factors for the two countries, tourism numbers have also continued to rise, showcasing the strong and rounded link between China and the UAE.

Reports indicate that 600,000 Chinese tourists visited Dubai in 2016. With the opening of the Middle Easts first Chinese visa application centre in Dubai earlier this month, and the upcoming opening of a key tourist attraction, 'Louvre Abu Dhabi', in November, these numbers are anticipated to increase even more. According to Chinas Consul-General in Dubai, around 40,000 tourists from the UAE visited China last year, of which the majority were Emirati.

This years China Trade Week UAE brings an exciting new addition to the event for the first time; the introduction of the International Consumer Electronics Expo Arabia, ICEEA. This dedicated section will showcase the latest technology from China, including virtual reality headsets and remote control vehicles.

Over the three-day period, local businesses can use the event as a key platform to meet and discuss business opportunities with a host of Chinese manufacturers, all of which offer high quality, competitively priced products.

China Trade Week UAE 2017 will run until 27th September 2017.



Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2017.