Economic cooperation represents a key pillar of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, building on their respective positions as leading global hubs for trade, logistics, aviation, and financial services, as well as their shared commitment to promoting open trade, attracting investment, and facilitating cross-border business and capital flows.
The UAE serves as an important gateway for Hong Kong businesses to markets across the Middle East, while Hong Kong provides UAE companies with strategic access to Mainland China and wider Asian markets. This growing economic partnership is reflected in the strength of bilateral trade. In 2025, the UAE ranked as Hong Kong’s leading trading partner in the Middle East and its sixth-largest trading partner globally, with bilateral trade reaching approximately USD 48.95 billion and accounting for 3.08% of Hong Kong’s total global trade. The UAE also ranked as Hong Kong’s sixth-largest export market and sixth-largest source of imports.
The economic partnership is further supported by agreements and arrangements across a range of areas, including investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, air services, financial regulation, and digital trade. Cooperation has also expanded into emerging and high-growth sectors, including financial technology, digital assets, artificial intelligence, green finance, startups, innovation, and advanced technologies.
At the institutional level, engagement among financial regulators, investment promotion agencies, stock exchanges, chambers of commerce, and innovation ecosystems continues to deepen commercial and investment ties, while creating new opportunities for businesses and supporting greater economic connectivity between the Middle East and Asia.
