DUBAI // A seven-day exhibition in Beijing will highlight Dubai’s transformation from a small fishing village to the global business hub and tourist destination that it is today.

People in the Chinese capital will learn about the emirate’s dramatic transformation in the past 40 years as part of the Dubai Week event, which will showcase opportunities for investors in China across business, tourism, culture and lifestyle.

“The relationship between the UAE and China is going from strength to strength, our collective efforts playing an ever-increasing role in each nation’s economic development, illustrated in part by China becoming the UAE’s leading trade partner,” said Reem Al Hashemy, Minister of State and honorary president of Falcon and Associates, which is helping to organise the event.

“The UAE serves as a gateway of opportunity for China into the Middle East, Africa, Europe and beyond.

“It is our goal that Dubai Week in China will provide a platform to discuss new opportunities, as well as stimulate greater levels of mutual understanding, and cultural and economic exchange, bringing us even closer together.”

The exhibition runs from May 8 to May 15 at The Orange in Sunlitan Village and is being held in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing of Dubai, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai Expo 2020, Emirates Airline, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Jumeirah Group and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

It has been organised in partnership with the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The event is the latest reflection of growing economic ties between Dubai and China.

The emirate plays host to a 200,000-strong Chinese community and bilateral trade for the first nine months of 2014 rose by 27 per cent to Dh126 billion, making China the emirate’s top trade partner ahead of India.

newsdesk@thenational.ae