In this article, we will cover how Chinese Entrepreneurs can start a business in Dubai.
According to the latest trade data, UAE is China’s largest non-oil trading partner in the Middle Eastern and North African region. It is responsible for 28 percent of total non-oil trade between China and the region.
Dubai plays a vital role in China’s Belt & Road initiative. Given its position as the leading regional logistics hub, through air, sea, and land logistics capabilities. The UAE’s trade infrastructure plays a vital role in helping Chinese goods to be dispatched throughout the MENA region.
Setting Up a Company in Dubai as Foreigner
Chinese companies are becoming global champions in artificial intelligence, communications, renewables, telecom, manufacturing, and many more sectors. As a result, we see Chinese companies becoming essential partners in the UAE. across many of those fields, from renewable technology investments to major infrastructure projects.
The first group of Chinese nationals who moved to Dubai can be traced back to the late 1980s and early 1990s when Chinese state-owned enterprises dispatched their employees to Dubai to research business opportunities and establish a foothold in the region. Based on the latest data, approximately five thousand Chinese companies are registered in Dubai alone. Almost a quarter-million Chinese residents reside in the UAE, the largest Chinese expat population in the Middle East.
Dubai’s Dragon Mart is the largest Chinese wholesale market outside China. It attracts traders seeking Chinese goods from the MENA region, South Asia, and East Africa. The jurisdiction allows Chinese nationals to set up a business with full ownership without allocating shares to a UAE national. Moreover, with ample access to Chinese workers, it is often the easiest way for Chinese entrepreneurs to test the local market.
Chinese tourists are the fastest-growing tourist segment in the UAE, and Chinese nationals are among the top four nationalities investing in Dubai’s real estate. In other words, the number of Chinese residents continues to grow steadily.
Business Setup in Dubai as Chinese Entrepreneur
Chinese entrepreneurs can create a business catering to a whole host of opportunities in Dubai, here are just a few examples of segments to focus on:
- Target the growing Chinese expat market with products and services they are accustomed to from back home. However, there is also an excellent opportunity to bring innovative services or products to the broader population in the UAE.
- Use the UAE as a regional trading hub by importing products and distributing them across the GCC or broader region.
- Incorporate a local mainland company and bid for the many lucrative contracts put out by the UAE government.
Jurisdictions like Dragon Mart continue to be popular destinations to incorporate business. Recent law changes give Chinese entrepreneurs greater leeway to own companies in the mainland fully. Therefore, this provides the flexibility to establish a company nearly anywhere in Dubai.
Free zones such as the DMCC and JAFZA have set up dedicated websites in Mandarin to offer services more conveniently. Similarly, many free zones have set up representative offices in major cities in China so that entrepreneurs can get information before visiting the UAE.
Let Us Help You Launch Your Dubai Business!
In conclusion, we have helped many Chinese nationals incorporate in the UAE. From multinational corporations to sole establishments, we have helped businesses of all sizes. We are happy to provide a free consultation so that we can give you all the information to start your business in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE.
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