Chinese tech leaders tap Dubai as global expansion hub ahead of Shenzhen forum

Senior executives from China’s largest technology and industrial firms have identified Dubai as the primary gateway for international expansion ahead of the Dubai Business Forum – China, scheduled for 14 October in Shenzhen. The event, organised by Dubai Chambers under the theme “Momentum at Scale: Accelerating Shared Success,” will convene leaders from BYD, Tencent Cloud, and Huawei Cloud to formalise trade and investment ties. Tech giants anchor regional operations Alan Qi, President of Huawei Cloud Middle East and Central Asia, confirmed on Saturday, 26 September, that the company is utilizing its Dubai base to bridge Chinese ecosystems with the UAE through artificial intelligence. Qi will address the forum on the infrastructure required for agentic cloud applications and Dubai’s capacity to attract global AI talent. Similarly, Rachel Xie, General Manager of Tencent Cloud MENA, noted that the emirate serves as a critical hub for the commercial deployment of cloud computing and AI innovations. The speaker lineup for the Shenzhen summit includes representatives from iMile Delivery, YTO International, Yalla Group, and ARIDGE (formerly XPENG AEROHT). These firms represent a shift in Chinese corporate strategy, moving from simple market entry to establishing long-term operational value through localized brands and logistics networks within the UAE. Strategic shift to localized innovation Jason Hua, Chief Strategy Officer at Yalla Group, stated that the forum will examine how…