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UAE-China Trade Hits $15 Billion

DUBAI - The total trade volume between China and the UAE reached $15 billion in the first nine months of 2009, with exports to the UAE amounting to $13.29 billion against $1.7 billion imports into China, the Commercial Office of Chinese Consulate in Dubai said on Tuesday.

In 2008, total trade volume stood at $28.16 billion, out of which, $23.55 billion were exports to the UAE and $4.61 billion were imports into China.

The bulk of products imported from China are household and domestic appliances, cookware and kitchenware, tyre and rubber products, shoes, hardware, machinery and machine tool and building materials.

The UAE has the highest number of Chinese companies in the GCC where the country is home to 2,000 Chinese businesses compared with just 20 in Saudi Arabia for instance. The strategic location of the UAE and its close proximity to markets in central Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Africa are the major attractions for Chinese companies. Organisers of the 24^th International Autumn Trade Fair, or IATF10, the consumer goods show to be held from January 17–19, 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, are upbeat about the Chinese participation at the show.

“The three-day Autumn Fair, a regional buyer-seller meeting ground for the consumer goods segment, will feature around 300 exhibitors from China who are participating under a national pavilion. The exhibition will occupy 13,000 square metres of space, out of which China constitutes 5,500 square metres.” “This is probably the biggest Chinese presence in 23 years of Autumn Fair history. In all, eight groups are involved in organising Chinese participation this year and some of them have been coming since its inception,” Khanna said.

abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com