H.E. Bin Touq meets with Chinese Minister of Tourism and government officials to strengthen collaboration in new economy sectors, tourism and hospitality

Meetings explore strengthening of collaboration in creative industries and knowledge exchange in IP

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Chairman of Investopia, held three bilateral meetings with H.E. Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism of China; H.E. Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT); and H.E. Shen Changyu, Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The discussions focused on strengthening economic and investment relations between the UAE and the People’s Republic of China in priority sectors, particularly the new economy, tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation, air transport, creative industries, and intellectual property (IP).

H.E. Bin Touq underscored that the UAE and China share historic and remarkable relations built on the foundations of strategic partnership and constructive collaboration. The economic and investment ties between the two countries have seen significant growth over the past four decades across vital sectors, including the new economy, infrastructure, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, technology, and agriculture.

UAE welcomes one million Chinese tourists in 2024

H.E. Bin Touq said: “Tourism is one of the key sectors of economic collaboration between the two countries. The UAE is home to more than 350,000 Chinese citizens and welcomed over one million Chinese tourists in 2024, reflecting its position as a preferred destination for Chinese visitors. There are more than 147 weekly flights between cities in both countries, including 117 passenger flights operated by UAE and Chinese airlines, in addition to 30 cargo flights operated by the UAE’s carriers. It reflects the dynamic nature of our partnership and supports the objectives of the UAE Tourism Strategy to position the country as the world’s best tourism destination by the next decade.”

H.E.’s meeting with His Excellency the Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism discussed new opportunities for cooperation in various areas of tourism and joint efforts to promote the attractions and destinations of both markets, thereby enhancing tourism exchanges between the two sides. H.E. Bin Touq also briefed the Chinese side on the UAE’s vision for developing the tourism, travel, hospitality, and aviation sectors, with a focus on innovation and sustainability in providing services to visitors from around the world and on expanding partnerships with key regional and global markets. He also highlighted the country’s efforts to develop tourism infrastructure, ports, and airports in line with international best practices, thereby strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading tourist destination regionally and globally.

Exchange of expertise in Intellectual Property rights

On the sidelines of the event, H.E. Bin Touq met with the Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), to facilitate the exchange of expertise and knowledge in the fields of intellectual property rights, patents, and industrial property. The meeting focused on expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries in creative and cultural industries, which contributes to developing institutional capacities for protecting intellectual works.

Enhancing dialogue between UAE and Chinese business communities

The Minister of Economy and Tourism also held a bilateral meeting with the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), to discuss new mechanisms for enhancing economic cooperation and supporting channels of communication between the Emirati and Chinese business communities, encouraging them to expand investments in new and sustainable economic sectors. This is particularly significant as the number of active Chinese business licenses in the UAE reached nearly 16,500 by the end of July 2025, growing by more than 18 per cent compared to the end of July 2024.