DUBAI - Professional services firm Grant Thornton has launched a China desk as part of its operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which will focus on cross-border business between the Asian country and the Middle East, it said on Monday.

The desk, which aims to support growing demand from clients across various sectors, is headed by Advisory Director Alex Tsui and comprises Mandarin-speaking experts.

An increasing number of wealth managers are setting up offices in Dubai, which is emerging as a preferred wealth hub for many entrepreneurs and rich families in Asia, mainly China, as they look to capitalise on warming diplomatic ties between Beijing and the Middle East.

(Reporting by Federico Maccioni, Editing by Louise Heavens)