Middle East

The history of world trade has usually been an evolutionary one, with ports and transport routes forming and declining over generations.

The Belt and Road Initiative has grown and extended rapidly over its first decade and the Middle East has moved into the spotlight in recent years.

As the global trading environment continues to reshape following the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong exporters across a wide range of industries, including watches and jewellery, are looking towards the Middle East.

Leaders in the key Gulf states of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enthusiastically welcomed the 30-strong Hong Kong delegation led by Chief Executive Mr John Lee and organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), underlining the city’s role to connect them with the world.

Links between China and the Arabian Peninsula date back centuries – the Aladdin legend reputedly originated in China and marine trade with and through Arabia long predated links with Europe – so it is no surprise that Hong Kong reached out to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after travel restrictions ended.

Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates are both gateways to and connection hubs for large, fast-growing regions – Mainland China and the Persian Gulf respectively.