- Two-storey, 570,000 sq ft mall to focus on home appliances, furniture, with aim of attracting high- and mid-range Chinese companies to Dubai
- His Highness Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Director General of Dubai Information Department, present to witness bilateral business activity
- Event connected 600 Chinese investors and entrepreneurs with UAE government entities and companies
Dubai: The inaugural Big C Forum witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dubai-based holding company Meraas and Singapore-based Chinese company Samanea Group that will see the launch of an AED1 billion mall by Q2 2021 near Dubai International City. Six key Chinese manufacturers and businesses also signed the letter of intent.
Samanea Group is to develop the 570,000 sq ft retail outlet, which will focus on home appliances and furniture from small, medium and big Chinese businesses seeking a foothold in the GCC market. The mall will also hold space for 1,800 parking spaces.
The event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Director General of Dubai Information Department – the special Guest of Honour, who witnessed the hive of bilateral business activity initiated by Hala China.
At the event, Her Excellency Tan Li, Acting Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, said: “In recent years, both China-UAE and China-Dubai relations have developed very fast. Among the Middle East countries, the UAE has conducted the most in-depth and fruitful cooperation with China.
“With its social stability, good infrastructure, ease of doing business and culture of tolerance, Dubai attracts more and more Chinese enterprises. In 2018, China was Dubai’s largest trade partner for the fifth consecutive year, bilateral trade reaching US$37.9 billion.”
She added: “The ‘Hala China’ programme launched last year, built a platform for the cooperation between China and Dubai in economy, trade, investment, tourism and culture. This programme has enhanced our bilateral cooperation and made remarkable achievements.”
The forum provided Chinese companies with a deeper understanding of Dubai’s forward-looking trade policies and infrastructure. Headquartered in Singapore, Samanea Group supports small businesses through hosting them in professional trade centres in key markets that offer marketing, logistics, financial and networking opportunities.
The forum gathered more than 600 Chinese investors and entrepreneurs in Dubai, where Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Chairman of Hala China Board of Directors, officially opened the event.
K C Zhang, President of Samanea Group, delivered a speech on the ‘New Concept and New Time’ era in the Middle East, focusing on customer demands. It highlighted how events like the Big C Forum serve as a catalyst for new Chinese entrants into the market.
K C Zhang showed through data analysis how recent developments in the business market have driven an increasing demand for home appliances and hotel supplies to be delivered to the doors of customers. This ‘New Era’ that Zhang referred to will initiate a big change in the market. Having had a logistics hub in Dubai Industrial Park since 2013, Samanea Group is ready to cater to the new customer demand.
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About Hala China
Launched in 2018, Hala China seeks to explore opportunities to facilitate economic development in Dubai and China through tourism, trade and investment. The initiative has partnered with several key government entities and companies in the UAE and China to organise events such as China Film Week in Dubai, the China and Arab Intercity Culture and Tourism Forum, and a special China-focused edition of Design Days Dubai.
Hala China is a major initiative launched by Meraas, in collaboration with Dubai Holding, to enhance economic and cultural exchange and drive investment cooperation between Dubai and China. The initiative aims to attract Chinese visitors and investors to the emirate through an annual calendar of tailored events and tour packages that span seven categories – stay, shop, eat, play, explore, wellness and concierge.
In showcasing Dubai and the wider UAE to the Chinese diaspora, Hala China aligns with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020. The initiative is led by a board of directors responsible for planning and organising food festivals, fashion shows, sporting events, as well as music and cultural festivals, among other activities.
About Meraas
Meraas is a Dubai-based conglomerate that aims to enhance the emirate’s cityscape with a human-centric approach to developing assets in the real estate, tourism, hospitality, F&B, retail, leisure and entertainment, technology, maritime, and healthcare sectors.
Meraas pursues its mission to build creative urban culture where thriving communities can take root. Among its investments are some of the most admired real-estate properties in premium locations, such as Bluewaters Residences, Bvlgari Residences, Cherrywoods, City Walk Residences, Nikki Beach Residences, Port de La Mer Residences, Villa Amalfi, and Zabeel Saray Royal Residence.
The company’s portfolio comprises over 80 million square feet of total developed land, more than 3,500 homes, 2,000 retail units, and 15 landmark destinations, including Al Seef, Bluewaters, Boxpark, City Walk, Dubai Harbour, Jumeira Bay, Kite Beach, La Mer, Last Exit, Pearl Jumeira, The Beach and The Outlet Village.
About Dubai Holding
Dubai Holding is a diversified global company with operations in 12 countries that employs over 20,000 people. Established in 2004, Dubai Holding manages AED130 billion worth of assets that support the diversification and growth of Dubai’s economy across 12 sectors, including tourism, hospitality, real estate, media, ICT, education, science, retail, industry and design.
The company’s portfolio includes:
- Jumeirah Group, a global luxury hotel company that operates a world-class 6,413-key portfolio of 15 properties in the Middle East, including the flagship Burj Al Arab, five properties in Europe and three in Asia, with 13 properties currently under construction around the globe.
- Dubai Properties, the diverse real estate developer behind iconic destinations such as Jumeirah Beach Residence and Business Bay.
- TECOM Group, the owner and operator of 11 sector-focused business districts, including Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City.
- Dubai Asset Management, one of the largest residential asset management companies in the UAE.
- Dubai Retail, the retail management vertical that focuses on developing, operating and managing Dubai Holding's extensive range of strategically located retail assets across prime destinations and communities.
- Arab Media Group, the media and entertainment arm that comprises Global Village, Arabian Radio Network, Multi Platform Network and Done Events.
Dubai Holding’s current project pipeline is poised to significantly enhance the range of landmarks in the emirate. This includes Madinat Jumeirah Living, Burj Jumeira – the new 550-metre tower set to take shape in Downtown Jumeirah, Emirates Towers District and Dubai Creek Harbour, a joint venture with Emaar Properties.
The company plays an integral role in achieving the objectives of Dubai’s economic diversification strategy and initiatives such as Tourism Vision 2020, UAE National Innovation Strategy and Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030.
For media enquiries, please contact:
APCO Worldwide Meraas
Sneha Nair Mutaz Albadri
Mobile: +971 55 408 7954 Mobile: +971 50 570 6785
Email: meraascorp@apcoworldwide.com Email: mutaz.albadri@meraas.ae
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