Sharjah’s investment opportunities highlighted to Chinese businesses

The Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) hosted a high-level delegation from the People’s Republic of China to discuss ways to enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The discussions focused on boosting investment opportunities for Chinese businesses in the Emirate of Sharjah, capitalizing on the two zones’ competitive advantages, including advanced infrastructure and cutting-edge logistical solutions. These benefits empower global businesses, particularly the Chinese enterprises, to pursue their growth and expansion plans in regional markets.

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of HFZA and SAIF Zone, received Ou Boqian, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, along with the accompanying delegation. The meeting was attended by key officials from both sides.

Lucrative opportunities: The meeting highlighted the business growth opportunities the Emirate of Sharjah offers to investors, thanks to its strategic location and its interconnected land, sea and air transportation network. The visiting delegation was also briefed on the attractive investment prospects and incentives available to the Chinese business community.

The delegation’s visit aimed to explore avenues for mutual collaboration, taking advantage of the commercial and industrial benefits that Sharjah and its free zone offer to investors. These advantages cater to companies seeking to invest in a stable and fertile environment equipped with integrated services and robust infrastructure that foster the growth and prosperity of their businesses.

95 Chinese companies in HFZA and SAIF Zone

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei praised the robust economic and trade ties between the UAE and China. He pointed to the continuous growth in the number of Chinese businesses investing in the Hamriyah Free Zone and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, with over 95 companies operating in diverse sectors, including oil and gas, electronics, heavy machinery, and engineering.

This underscores the Chinese companies’ increasing interest to invest and expand their footprint in Sharjah, leveraging the emirate’s competitive advantages and attractive incentives offered to entrepreneurs and investors from around the world. These benefits provide Chinese businessmen with exceptional opportunities to establish strategic centers for their core businesses, industries and entrepreneurship.

Cooperation potential: For her part, Ou Boqian underlined Sharjah’s prominent status as a distinguished cultural and civilizational hub in the UAE, lauding its rich heritage and history that exemplify a sense of multicultural integration and peaceful coexistence.

She highlighted the strong historical ties between Sharjah and China, which create a solid foundation for enhancing future cooperation between the two nations across various economic sectors.

Recognized for its advanced investment landscape, Sharjah boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure that includes world-class ports and airports, coupled with the comprehensive services available in its free zones. These factors facilitate business operations for Chinese companies, empowering them to grow and thrive in various fields including heavy industries, advanced technology, and e-commerce.

The Chinese delegation ended their visit with a tour of the facilities located in SAIF Zone and selected customs centers. They were introduced to the range of services including streamlined customs clearance procedures. These efforts leverage digital technologies to deliver high-quality, swift, and efficient services to investors.

Sharjah’s freezones marked major achievements and milestones in 2024, reinforcing their pivotal role in establishing the emirate as one of the most attractive destinations for local, regional, and international businesses.

During the last year, the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone Authority (SAIF Zone) attracted more than 1,600 companies from various countries worldwide, including the US, Africa, India, Japan, the UK, Spain, Belgium, and others.

In 2024, the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority attracted 900 companies and corporations across diverse sectors, specifically for the iron and steel manufacturing industry in the Middle East and Africa.

In a global acknowledgement of these achievements, the authority clinched prestigious international awards at the 2024 iteration of the Global Free Zones of the Year Award by fDi Intelligence, a publication by the Financial Times Group, for the second consecutive time.

The Sharjah Airport International Free Zone Authority experienced significant growth in the past year, attracting over 700 international and local companies from diverse sectors.