Post by : Meena Ariff

Senior Chinese officials have praised the Arab vision for the digital economy and highlighted the UAE’s role as a regional model for innovation and technological transformation.

The recognition came during a series of high-level meetings held by a delegation from the Arab Federation for Digital Economy with senior officials from Chinese provinces, including Hainan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Key Meetings in Hong Kong Focus on Fintech and Investment

Among the most prominent meetings was with Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong. Discussions focused on joint investment funds, digital infrastructure, and collaboration in fintech, data centres, and smart agriculture. Chan emphasized that the UAE has set an advanced regional model for supporting innovation and digital transformation.

The delegation also met with the Hong Kong Investment Agency (InvestHK) to discuss launching joint initiatives in fintech and data centres and hosting events to introduce Arab companies to Hong Kong’s investment environment.

Hainan Discussions on Data and Digital Cooperation

In Hainan, the delegation met with Feng Fei, Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Ning Hongwen, Chairman of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and other senior officials.

The discussions covered collaboration in data centres, digital financial systems, and cross-border data transfer mechanisms. Feng described the Arab vision as an advanced framework for international cooperation and praised the UAE’s role in promoting its growth.

Both sides also explored the advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in software, smart agriculture, and digital tourism, as well as organize joint international events to showcase expertise.

Shanghai and Zhejiang: Innovation and Digital Systems

In Shanghai, the delegation met with Zhang Ying, Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal People’s Government. Zhang highlighted Shanghai’s achievements in the digital economy, including a data exchange platform and support for startups in AI, cloud computing, and e-commerce.

Zhang noted that the Arab vision offers a critical platform for regional and international cooperation, citing the UAE’s pioneering role in digital transformation. The meeting explored opportunities to develop Arab digital systems using Chinese expertise to support global trade and sustainable development.

The tour concluded in Zhejiang Province with Vice Governor Lu Shan, who discussed cooperation in digital commerce, innovative financial solutions, and entrepreneurship support. Lu praised the Arab vision and described the UAE as a key hub for technology-driven growth.

Agreements Signed to Strengthen Arab-Chinese Cooperation

Chinese officials expressed readiness to provide technical and advisory support for Arab digital transformation projects to expand cooperation and generate economic benefits for both regions.

The Federation’s tour resulted in several agreements:

• Hong Kong: Contract with BMHL Crypto Limited to develop stable digital currencies.

• Hainan: MoU with Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Administration and Sanya Investment Promotion Office to establish a regional centre, organize specialised events, and explore an Arab-Chinese industrial fund and new data centres.

• Zhejiang: Agreements with Inspur to build data centres in Arab countries and with H3C to develop smart infrastructure and transfer knowledge.

Additional discussions included digital infrastructure projects with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and support for the “Arab Food Market” initiative with Alibaba Group, a unified digital platform to strengthen regional food security.

Supporting the Arab Digital Economy Vision

The Federation emphasized that the tour advances strategic projects under the Arab vision for the digital economy, including advanced data centres, research hubs, innovation funds, stable digital currencies, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. These efforts aim to consolidate the Arab region’s position in the global digital economy while enhancing international cooperation.

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