The UAE Ministry of Investment and China's Jereh Group have partnered to develop a clean energy and industrial platform in the Emirates as part of sustainability efforts.
Under the deal, Yantai-based Jereh will be investing across key sectors over the next three-to-five years, the ministry said on Thursday.
It was signed in Beijing during Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed's visit this week.
The deal includes the development of small modular nuclear reactor technology, establishing an anode material manufacturing site with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per annum, and creating lithium battery recycling capabilities.
The ministry will support Jereh in growing its presence in the UAE, further positioning the country as a global centre for cross-border investment, energy security and sustainable development, it said.
“The UAE continues to offer a compelling platform for businesses seeking international growth, underpinned by world-class infrastructure, a forward-looking regulatory environment and a strategic position at the crossroads of global markets,” said Mohammad Alhawi, under-secretary at the Ministry of Investment.
The UAE continues to invest and attract partners to fuel its sustainability agenda as part of global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and other environmental harms.
The Ministry of Investment, through its Invest UAE platform, continues to foster foreign direct investment across sectors of the UAE’s economy, in addition to encouraging partnerships between global investors and nations.
The Arab world's second-biggest economy has launched several initiatives to support this, including clean energy programmes, its net-zero-by-2050 strategy and legislation designed to encourage investment and participation.
The international community, meanwhile, is increasing efforts to meet the global goal of tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030.
The partnership also continues a string of agreements between the UAE and China: the two sides signed 24 deals spanning economic, trade and investment relations on Monday, and added another initial pact focusing on boosting investment flows on Wednesday.
China, the world's second-largest economy, is the UAE's fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment inflows, accounting for 6.3 per cent of total FDI stock as of 2024, government data shows.
Non-oil bilateral trade surpassed the $100 billion mark for the first time in 2025 to hit $111.5 billion, with a record annual growth of 24.5 per cent, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, said this week.
Trade between the two countries is expected to hit $300 billion by 2030, the ministry said.
“The UAE is not only a leading economic power, but also a global hub for innovation, trade and investment, making it a strategic market for our expansion,” said Li Weibin, executive president of Jereh Group.
“This collaboration will enable us to accelerate our industrial ambitions, contribute to the UAE's long-term economic growth and set new benchmarks for integrated energy and industrial platforms in the region.”
