Non-oil trade between Dubai and China reached about $99 billion in 2025, up almost 23% year on year. Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) capital into Dubai rose from about $326.8 million in 2024 to more than $925.8 million, nearly three times the previous level.
Dubai Chambers released the figures at the Dubai Business Forum – China in Shenzhen on October 14. China is Dubai's largest trading partner, and bilateral non-oil trade is up 118.4% from $45.3 billion in 2016.
China to Dubai: imports make up about 96% of trade
Dubai imported $95 billion of goods from China in 2025, compared with $77.5 billion in 2024 and $36.2 billion in 2020. That is about 96% of bilateral non-oil trade, with a compound annual growth rate of 21.3% from 2020 to 2025.
Dubai's total exports to China rose from $2.4 billion in 2020 to $4 billion in 2025, a compound annual growth rate of 10.4%.
Chinese investment in Dubai: more than 300 projects in a decade, led by automotive
Dubai attracted more than 300 Chinese FDI projects from 2016 to 2025, with combined capital above $6.7 billion.
By project count, automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) led from 2020 to 2025 with 40 projects. Consumer electronics and consumer products followed with 20 each, then electronic components with 17. Food and beverages, transportation and warehousing, and business services had 15 each.
Chinese companies' presence in Dubai is also growing. Active Chinese members of Dubai Chamber of Commerce reached 6,650 by the end of September 2026, more than triple the 2016 number. More than 3,830 of them, or about 58%, work in trading and services.
Dubai investment in China: logistics leads by a wide margin
Among the sectors listed for Dubai's investment in China from 2020 to 2025, transportation and warehousing led with $760.8 million in capital expenditure. Financial services followed with $173.7 million and electronic components with $153.7 million. Real estate recorded $61.5 million and business services $57.9 million.
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