The UAE-China Smart Transport Centre has been launched in Dubai as a year-round platform to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in clean and smart mobility and turn discussions into projects, investments and business opportunities.
Dawood Al Shezawi, President of the Dubai International Electric Vehicle Exhibition and Conference 2026, announced the centre during the UAE-China Industrial Cooperation Forum on green and smart mobility at Dubai World Trade Centre. He said it was set up in response to proposals from government representatives and Chinese companies at a meeting on the exhibition’s first day, where participants called for clear licensing pathways, compatibility with local charging networks and continued engagement with decision-makers.
The centre will work across three tracks. The first offers Chinese companies a single point of access to authorities, covering licensing, vehicle certification, safety standards and charging requirements. The second connects Chinese manufacturers with UAE fleet operators, charging providers, industrial partners and investors through regular meetings. The third supports pilot projects in autonomous taxis, autonomous logistics, charging and energy. Al Shezawi said it will operate as an institutional framework rather than a conventional headquarters, with progress reviewed at the next edition of the event.
He noted that non-oil trade between the two countries passed US$100 billion for the first time last year, growing 24.5 percent. China is the UAE’s largest trading partner. He said cooperation is already visible in autonomous taxis, electric buses and new Chinese vehicle models, and pointed to Dubai’s target of converting its entire taxi and limousine fleet to electric and hydrogen power by 2040.
The forum also explored industrial and technology localisation, supply-chain development and joint research in sustainable transport.
News Source: WAM
