Dubai Customs Director General discusses with Chinese Consul General ways of boosting trade exchange

HE Ahmed Butti Ahmed, the Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and Director General of Dubai Customs discussed with Chinese Consul General in Dubai, Mr. Zhan Jingbao the arrangements for holding meetings with Chinese businessmen, ways of boosting relations and exchange of information with Chinese Directorate General of Customs. 

At a meeting with Chinese Consul General in Dubai including Consular Attaché Mr. Lu Feng, the Director General of Dubai Customs underlined the importance of developing bilateral relations with China “being Dubai’s second largest trade partner”. 

Mr. Butti pointed out that the large industrial base  owned by China contributed to the increase in trade exchanges volume between Dubai and China exceeding AED 38 billion (USD 10.3 billion) over the first ten months last year. 

“The presence of a broad Chinese business community in the emirate with other operators in areas including commerce, industry and financial services require series of meetings in order to listen to them, alleviating any obstacles and problems they may encounter, providing the necessary facilitations thereto and promoting bilateral trade”, said Mr. Butti. 

The meeting discussed the current arrangements for the visit scheduled for the first half this year by the Director General of Dubai Customs to China to meet Chinese customs officials for crystallizing a joint cooperation in respect to exchange of information and expertise. 

“The planned visit to China comes in return to a similar visit by Chinese Customs Director General to Dubai last year”, Mr. Butti maintained. 

“Such visits contribute to strengthening relations with countries having broad trade ties with Dubai, particularly trade in transit from and to Dubai represents the largest part of UAE non-oil trade”, he added. 

During the meeting, the Director General of Dubai Customs lauded the role by the Consular Missions to Dubai in strengthening relations with customs authorities and administrations worldwide. 

The meeting was attended from Dubai Customs side by Mr. Yousef Al Sahlawi, Senior Executive Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Mahboob, Executive Director of Clients Management Division and Mr. Abbas Makki, Director of International Relations atDubai Customs. 

From his part, Chinese Consul General, Mr. Zhan Jingbao said: “the relations with UAE are distinguished at the political and economic spheres.” 

“The number of Chinese nationals residing in UAE exceeds 200 thousand people while the number of Chinese companies operating in the country is about 3 thousand companies,” Mr. Jingbao pointed out. 

Appreciating the efforts being made by Dubai Customs to facilitate Chinese business community, Chinese Consul General said: “the Chinese people working here always assure that Dubai Customs provides them with the necessary facilities and assistance”.