Dubai Chambers President sees China partnerships expanding to emerging sectors

The cooperation between China and Dubai is expected to grow beyond traditional sectors like logistics and real estate into emerging areas such as the digital economy and green technology, according to Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

Lootah highlighted promising prospects for expanding collaboration between Chinese and Dubai businesses across various industries in a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).

He emphasized that while cooperation in established sectors will continue, significant growth is likely to come from fields that promote sustainable practices and lead global innovation.

"The major sectors that were very interesting for Chinese investors, such as the trading and the logistics and warehousing and real estate will continue as interesting sectors. But I think the major significant change will come from the emerging sectors, such as the digital economy sectors, and the green technology and green financing. When it comes to digital economy, it will cut across all of the spectrum from the artificial intelligence (AI), the Web 3.0, the fintech, the health tech and across all," he added.

The chamber executive also underscored the broader implications of sustainable growth, noting that it goes beyond environmental efforts to improving business efficiency and productivity through better technology, talent development and international partnerships.

"When it comes to the sustainable economy or the sustainable growth sectors, it is not only limited to sustainable projects when it comes to the environmental, but even going to green tech and the green Sukuk and bonds, cutting across the whole ecosystem," said Mohammad, referring to a form of sharia-compliant investment that is intended to contribute to biodiversity or the fight against climate change.

"We believe that the sustainable economy is no longer limited to just doing the good for the environment. It's unlocking opportunities for growth when it comes to businesses, and how can we really increase the efficiency and productivity of our systems by utilizing better technology, by upskilling the talent that we have, by having better integration with international partners, such as China," he continued.

China has become Dubai's largest trading partner, with non-oil trade between the two reaching 67.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Over the past decade, cumulative non-oil bilateral trade between China and Dubai has totaled approximately 490 billion U.S. dollars.

Dubai Chambers President sees China partnerships expanding to emerging sectors

As ski resorts have begun opening in northern China, ski enthusiasts are starting to head to ski resorts for winter fun and scenery.

The city of Zhangjiakou, a top destination for skiing in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region which hosted most snow events of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, has witnessed a huge influx of tourists since its ski resorts opened recently.

The eight ski resorts in Zhangjiakou's Chongli District have a combination of over 160 kilometers of ski slopes, providing a great experience on snow for all levels of ski enthusiasts.

"I learned front blade skills in a couple of days. Yesterday I even gave it a go on black slopes. It was just a great experience overall," said a tourist.

Chongli's Genting Resort, which opened just on Wednesday, saw its 3,500 guest rooms fully booked for the weekend. The Thaiwoo resort saw visitor numbers surging to 10,000 per day in less than two weeks. Resorts are also introducing new activities such as jetski snow rides and cross-country skiing to create a colorful experience.

"I came back from America just to ski here. It's got a complete set of facilities and services – got good accommodation and food, and shuttles for pickup," said a tourist.

In Inner Mongolia's Genhe, a city known as 'the coldest place in China', it is the reindeer that draw visitors from all over the country to visit the snowy winter wonderland.

The local Aoluguya Ewenki people, known as "the last hunting tribe in China," is the only ethnic minority group in China that raises reindeer. Interacting with reindeer and experiencing the Ewenki culture while surrounded by snow-covered forests make a memorable vacation experience for visitors,particularly for those who come from the warmer south.

"So many reindeer and small animals. We also stayed in Cuoluozi (Ewenki tikis) and Mongolian yurts. That was a great experience for me," said a visitor.

Genhe's tourism sector has been developing its snow economy with focus on the city's unique natural resources and ethnic culture. The city has welcomed about 80,000 visitors since October, bringing in 150 million yuan (20.7 million in U.S. dollars) of tourism revenue.

"To accommodate tourism demands, our park is consistently perfecting our services and facilities. This year we introduced new dinning choices, such as Cuoluozi barbeque, Cuoluozi hotpot and bonfire tea. We also readied reindeer sleighs and snowbikes for tourists," said Zhao Geng, a scenic area staff member.

Ski resorts open in northern China, attracting ski enthusiasts for winter fun, scenery