"Having such collaboration will definitely have a direct impact on the bilateral investment," Mohammad Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, described the China-Arab States Expo as benefiting the private sector in both the UAE and China.

DUBAI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The China-Arab States Expo is a vital platform to strengthen traditional trade ties and high-value investment partnerships between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China, UAE business insiders have said.

The seventh edition of the expo, concluding on Sunday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, gathered more than 7,600 participants and over 2,200 enterprises and institutions from 75 countries and regions.

Under the theme "Innovation, Green Development and Prosperity," the expo hosted trade fairs and forums focused on eight key sectors, including investment, technology transfer and innovation cooperation, modern agriculture, tourism and intellectual property.

Ali Al-Amin, an economic expert and head of the Investment Unit at Sharjah Islamic Bank, told Xinhua that the expo offered a genuine opportunity to advance UAE-China economic ties from traditional trade exchanges to high-value investment partnerships in priority areas such as renewable energy and sustainable technology.

Sharjah Islamic Bank's participation in the expo was part of a broader vision to deepen economic cooperation and explore new joint investment opportunities with China, he said, adding that expanding its banking network with Chinese institutions will enable the bank to better support its clients with financial services tailored to ongoing regional and global economic transformations.

"We are not participating merely for representation; we are committed to playing an active role in shaping new paths of cooperation, particularly in light of the challenges facing regional economies," he said.

This edition of the expo saw a transition from introductory exchanges to more mature discussions, with participants showing a clear focus on the quality and feasibility of the projects, he noted, highlighting the bank's focus on studying investment opportunities presented at the expo and assessing their potential to be transformed into tangible development projects.

Mohammad Lootah, president and CEO of Dubai Chambers, described the expo as benefiting the private sector in both the UAE and China.

"We're exploring ways to do more business missions and attend large events that will take place in China, and we will continuously host high-level delegations from different provinces in China," Lootah said.

A record growth in two-way investments between the UAE and China "represents the increased interest from the private sector and business communities from both sides," he said.

"Just looking at Dubai Chamber of Commerce membership, by the end of the first half of this year, we counted 6,000 Chinese companies as our members. We continue to have a lot of engagement with China, since it's a significant trade and investment partner for us," he said.

"This gives us access to trade hubs and future-phase sectors that are well represented in Shenzhen," a Chinese city known for artificial intelligence and other technologies as well as sectors that are "very important for the future of growth in Dubai," he said.

"We focus on sectors that are very important to Dubai ... such as advanced manufacturing, where China is having huge leaps globally, and we think that having such collaboration will definitely have a direct impact on the bilateral investment," he added.

First held in 2013, the biennial expo has become an important platform for China and the Arab states to promote pragmatic cooperation.■