UAE's Abu Dhabi Ports seek lures Chinese businessmen

DUBAI - Abu Dhabi Ports on Sunday presented the integrated offerings of Khalifa Port and Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad) to Chinese businessmen.

More than 80 Chinese businessmen from across the UAE were present at a business event organized by Abu Dhabi Ports in cooperation with the Chinese Embassy in the UAE and the Chinese Business Council, Abu Dhabi Ports said in an e-mailed statement.

"I am confident that our offerings have the potential to support efforts to boost the trade ties between China and the UAE," Mana Mohammed Saeed Al-Mulla, Chief Operating Officer of Kizad, said.

"There are many Chinese investors who are keen to expand their businesses into China's largest Middle East market, he added.

Today, almost 300,000 Chinese citizens live and work in the UAE, along with over 4,000 companies, 249 trade agencies, and 5,451 registered Chinese brands, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy.

The trade between the UAE and China has grown from $63 million in 1984 to $54.8 billion in 2015 and is projected to reach up to $60 billion by end of 2016.

Currently Kizad has around 90 national and international investors, and a total of 13 million square meters of leased lands that constitute a total investment of about 15 billion dollars.

The UAE government is a staunch supporter of China's strategic Belt and Road initiative with the aim to integrate Asia, Africa and Europe economically.

In addition, the UAE, a major oil supplier, is a founding member state of the Chinese-initiated Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank that comprises 57 signatory states. The bank's mission is to spur infrastructure investments along the new Silk Road.