On March 27, 2025, a significant meeting took place in Dubai, aiming to strengthen commercial ties between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The gathering was organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and featured representatives from the "Brazilian Women's Group" and Arab Brazilian businesswomen. This initiative underscores a commitment to enhancing trade relations and increasing women's participation in business and decision-making.
Ms. Betania Tanure, a partner and founder of the business development consulting firm BTA, and one of the founders of the Brazilian Women's Group, expressed optimism about the outcomes of the meeting. "This meeting is expected to yield positive results in terms of networking with companies, as the Arab Brazilian Chamber has the capacity to lead partnership organization," she stated, according to the Arab Brazilian News Agency.
The meeting followed a lecture by the chamber on "Change Management," which emphasizes planning and adopting changes within a company. Tanure elaborated, "After this lecture, we held a meeting with the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce with the aim of establishing more partnerships between the two countries to improve trade relations, in addition to creating opportunities for Brazilians and Brazilian women."
Founded in 2013, the Brazilian Women's Group aims to assess women's participation in building a better society. The recent meeting also addressed various issues, including organizing events in partnership with the Brazilian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, collaborating with other civil society representatives on entrepreneurship, sustainability, and women's issues, and exchanging experiences to overcome cultural barriers between the two nations.
In a related development, on March 29, 2025, the Egyptian Minister of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs, Dr. Badr Abdel-Aaty, engaged in a phone discussion with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The conversation revolved around the "distinguished" relations between Egypt and the UAE, focusing on enhancing investment and trade cooperation.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the need for continued coordination and consultation between the two nations, especially given the complex and intertwined cooperation files. The ministers agreed on the importance of intensifying joint efforts to further solidify their economic ties.
As both Brazil and Egypt seek to enhance their international relationships, China is simultaneously preparing for its significant annual political events. March marks the time for the annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. These sessions serve as a vital platform for showcasing China's path to comprehensive popular democracy.
The meetings provide insights into China's development roadmap, revealing a remarkable alignment in development philosophies and shared values between China and the UAE. This close relationship is expected to open new avenues for bilateral cooperation.
According to the Chinese government’s report, the country's GDP is projected to reach 134.9 trillion yuan, reflecting a 5% annual increase and positioning China among the fastest-growing major economies worldwide, contributing approximately 30% to global economic growth.
Additionally, 12.56 million urban jobs were created, and the available income per capita increased by 5.1% in real terms. The report also highlights enhanced support for compulsory education, basic elderly insurance, basic medical insurance, and social assistance.
Looking ahead to 2025, China anticipates maintaining a 5% GDP growth while redirecting its economic policies towards social priorities and encouraging consumption. A series of new measures in social security, assistance for vulnerable groups, and services for the elderly have been proposed, emphasizing China's commitment to a people-centered development approach.
Simultaneously, the UAE has shown robust GDP growth in 2024, launching citizen-focused initiatives in housing support, healthcare modernization, educational reforms, and infrastructure development. Amid global economic uncertainties, this strategic alignment not only aims to improve local living standards but also provides essential stability for global recovery efforts.
Both China and the UAE are on parallel paths of technological advancement. In 2024, China's national spending on research and development rose to 3.6 trillion yuan, marking an 8% real increase and supporting nearly 500,000 active patent-holding enterprises. Five national innovation centers have been established in key areas, including next-generation energy storage, precision nanomanufacturing, molecular pharmaceuticals, humanoid robotics, and advanced artificial intelligence systems.
China's production of new energy vehicles surpassed 13 million units, accounting for over 60% of global production, while integrated circuit exports reached a historic high of 1.1 trillion yuan. The rise of generative AI in China, exemplified by cost-effective models like DeepSeek, has revitalized confidence in countries like the UAE, which aims to develop sovereign AI capabilities.
As both nations prioritize future industries, from biocomputing to quantum technology and sixth-generation networks, the UAE is intensifying its innovative efforts through Dubai's Agenda 33, which reshapes its digital economy by integrating blockchain technology and deploying smart cities.
This dynamic synchronization allows both countries to leverage innovation returns across all sectors of development. China and the UAE exemplify a shared commitment to open global engagement that benefits all parties involved.
President Xi Jinping's declaration that "China's door will never close but will open wider" resonates through tangible actions. China has now become the main trading partner for over 150 countries and regions, with 23 free trade agreements spanning five continents. In 2024, China's total trade volume exceeded 43 trillion yuan, solidifying its position as the world's largest goods trader for the eighth consecutive year.
Foreign investment flows have also increased, with a 9.9% year-on-year rise in newly invested foreign enterprises. Visa exemption policies, including unilateral visa exemptions for 38 countries and extended transit visa exemptions for 54 countries, further simplify global connectivity.
The UAE's trade with China has reached record levels, surpassing $100 billion in bilateral trade, making China the UAE's largest trading partner for eleven consecutive years. Amid global headwinds of protectionism and globalization rhetoric, both countries' simultaneous pursuit of institutional openness positions them as preferred partners in the international community.
China and the UAE stand as pillars for global development and stability. Since the launch of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) by President Xi Jinping in 2021, this framework has yielded tangible results across developing countries. The Chinese-funded Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDSSCF), valued at $4 billion, has financed over 200 poverty alleviation projects.
Regarding Palestine, China has sent four batches of emergency humanitarian aid since October 2023. In May 2024, President Xi pledged an additional 500 million yuan for Gaza reconstruction, alongside 25 million yuan in food and medical supplies through GDSSCF channels.
The scale of partnerships in Africa is significant, with 20 agricultural experimental centers in 50 countries, 300 agricultural cooperation projects, 130 hospitals, 170 schools, 40 playgrounds, and capacity-building programs for 160,000 specialists.
Meanwhile, the UAE celebrated Sheikh Zayed Humanitarian Day nationwide, launching the "Parent Fund" charity in Dubai, initiatives that embody the UAE's values of generosity and humanitarian dedication.
As commitments to foreign aid wane from some nations, China and the UAE stand united in providing fair and sustainable development opportunities for countries in the Global South, thus driving collective progress in emerging economies. In 2025, China will officially celebrate the 80th anniversary of its victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
As the rotating president of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization this year, China will host the SCO summit in Tianjin this autumn. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women, with another global women's summit planned for the second half of the year. Furthermore, it is the 51st anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE. Under a new historical turning point, the people of both countries will work together, guided by the visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and driven by a shared approach and values of common development, to build a brighter future.
