Following China President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to the UAE in July, senior representatives at Abu Dhabi Ports and Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), visited Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, to bolster growing trade relations recently.

During the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Zone Investment Promotion Conference, industry leaders, government officials and private sector decision makers gathered to discuss and learn more about the attractive investment opportunities within Abu Dhabi Ports and its subsidiaries including KIZAD, Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone and Khalifa Port.
Hosted by Jiangsu Provincial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and organised by Jiangsu Overseas Cooperation Investment Co. Ltd. (JOCIC), more than 180 delegates from government entities and 90 companies attended the event to potentially follow in the footsteps of Chinese companies that have recently made sizeable investments in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Key speakers during the event included: Li Xiubin, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission; Wang Bin, Chairman of Zhongjiang International Group; Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Abu Dhabi Ports CEO; Hao Sihuan, Deputy General Manager of Jiangsu Haitou Investment Co., Ltd.;
Bilateral trade between China and the UAE has enjoyed an upward trajectory in recent years with the two countries signing 13 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) during President Xi Jinping’s visit.
Abu Dhabi Ports has played an important role in strengthening these ties. 2017 saw JOCIC signing agreements with Abu Dhabi Ports to invest over USD1 billion in Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone under the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Jiangsu Construction Management Company Limited. JOCIC is currently developing the 2.2 square kilometre industrial development zone in Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone with 19 Chinese companies already signed up to date.
In addition, Abu Dhabi Ports & China’s COSCO SHIPPING Ports has signed an agreement last year to develop one of the most modern container terminals in Khalifa Port.