Potential contractors assured of fair process

Fahad al Raqbani, the deputy director general of the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development, assures potential Chinese companies of a fair process

Fahad al Raqbani, the deputy director general of the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development q To what extent are Chinese companies becoming more prominent in the UAE? a We have seen an increase in the number of Chinese entities in the UAE, particularly in the construction sector. A Chinese company is involved in building the oil pipeline from Habshan to Fujairah. With Dubai Ports, the cranes used are supplied by Chinese companies.

How do you see the relationship growing? There is a lot more we can do. In renewable energy, [China] is one of the top 10 producers. There are many areas where we can see the relationship is growing. The UAE is an open economy for companies in the energy industry, in manufacturing. There was a suggestion from one Chinese company that they were not being treated fairly when bidding for a contract. What is the response to this?

There is nothing against Chinese companies and the proof of that is that we have over 200,000 Chinese people [living in the UAE] today. Chinese companies can participate, they can bid for tenders. At the end of the day the entity [chosen] is the best specific entity for that specific contract. We are not going to give preference for one country over another country. It's a competitive bidding process. It's open for all.

What other sectors could Chinese companies become involved in? Maybe in financial services. There are a great many areas where Chinese companies could participate. Providing an environment where the private sector can flourish is the primary objective of the [Abu Dhabi] Government. Things are changing for the better. [e-mail]