UAE delegation highlights potential of pan-Asian collaboration at the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Economic Forum

• HE Al Zeyoudi: "By deepening our connections and exploring avenues of mutual interest, the GCC, China and ASEAN bloc can not only maintain our own upward growth trajectories but become the driving force of the global economy."

• The UAE's non-oil trade with ASEAN nations reached USD$37.7 billion in 2024, accounting for 4.6% of the UAE's total non-oil trade.
• The UAE's non-oil trade with China reached USD$90.1 billion in 2024, making it the UAE's largest non-oil trading partner.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 27 May 2025: The UAE, represented by His Excellency Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, participated in the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. HE Al Zeyoudi underscored how greater collaboration across Asia can accelerate growth, drive innovation and consolidate the region's rise a global economic power. HE Al Zeyoudi also reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to building strong trade and investment partnerships across the world and that the future-focused nations of Asia were natural partners in these efforts.

Leaders and business representatives from 17 nations gathered in the Malaysian capital to exchange views on how they work together to navigate today's complex economic and geopolitical landscape.

HE Al Zeyoudi said the Forum offered the chance for attending nations to align their economic visions to achieve strong growth: "By deepening our connections and exploring avenues of mutual interest, the GCC, China and ASEAN bloc can not only maintain our own upward growth trajectories but become the driving force of the global economy. Our foreign trade policy has been designed to bring our economy closer to the markets of Asia and together we can increase the flow of goods and services between us, support vital infrastructure projects, share knowledge, and accelerate innovation. This forum has underlined the depth of this potential – and created the platform to help the nations of our high-growth regions realize it."

The UAE enjoys positive trade and investment ties with nations across Asia, including the ASEAN bloc. The UAE has concluded Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia, helping to propel the UAE's non-oil foreign trade with ASEAN countries to US$37.7 billion in 2024, a growth of 4.2% compared to 2023 and 16.8% more than in 2022. ASEAN countries accounted for 4.6% of the UAE's total non-oil trade with the world in 2024, and 11.3% of the UAE's trade with non-Arab Asian countries.

The UAE also enjoys has strong trade and investment links with China. The total value of UAE–China non-oil trade reached USD$90.1 billion in 2024, reflecting a growth of 4% compared to 2023, and increases of 16.5% and 48% compared to 2022 and 2021, respectively. China remained the UAE's top trading partner in 2024, accounting for 11% of the UAE's total non-oil trade with the world.

The Forum, held in conjunction with the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and 46th ASEAN Summit, brought together leaders and representatives from China, the ten Association of South East Asian Nation nations – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam - and the six Gulf Cooperation Council nations – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Together, these countries are home to more than two billion consumers, and account for over 20% of the world's GDP.