Ras Al Khaimah Deepens Strategic Ties with China Through Friendship Agreement and Business Partnerships

H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi concludes a transformative six-day engagement across China, formalising a comprehensive friendship agreement with Fujian Province and witnessing the signing of ten significant business memoranda that span robotics, transport, banking and cultural heritage.

The arc of a partnership often traces itself through time and geography, following the pathways of ancient trade and the currents of modern ambition. So it is with Ras Al Khaimah and China, a connection that springs from centuries of maritime exchange and now crystallises into formal strategic collaboration.

H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, has concluded a six-day working visit to the People’s Republic of China, during which he witnessed the signing of a comprehensive friendship agreement between Ras Al Khaimah and Fujian Province, alongside ten Memoranda of Understanding between regional entities and their Chinese counterparts. The agreement establishes a framework for deeper economic, maritime and cultural ties, with particular emphasis on green supply chains, port logistics, sustainable building materials and cultural exchange.

The delegation traversed three of China’s most economically significant provinces. In Shenzhen, the Ras Al Khaimah contingent participated in the RAK-China Business Conference, themed “Together Towards Shared Value”, where Chinese innovators in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies engaged directly with the Emirate’s economic institutions. The International Relations Office of the Government of Ras Al Khaimah signed a strategic memorandum with UBTECH Robotics, creating a framework to test, demonstrate and deploy humanoid robotic systems across industrial, commercial service, elderly care and cultural tourism scenarios across the Emirate.

The visit reflected not merely commercial ambition but intellectual and cultural kinship. The Ras Al Khaimah delegation visited the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys cultural district and the Zheng He Historical Relics Exhibition Hall in Fuzhou, a heritage site marking the departure point of Zheng He’s Maritime Silk Road voyages. This pilgrimage into shared history carried particular resonance: the Emirate’s Department of Antiquities has previously identified 13th-century Yuan Dynasty porcelain discovered in Ras Al Khaimah, tangible evidence of the trade routes that connected the ancient trading post of Julfar, the precursor to modern Ras Al Khaimah, with South China for centuries.

Beyond the signature friendship agreement signed in Fuzhou between Mohammed Omran Al Shamsi, Special Advisor to H.H. Sheikh Saud, and Zhao Zenglian, Member of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial Committee, the memoranda encompassed diverse sectors. RAK Transport Authority formalised engagement with Shenzhen Urban Transport Planning Centre. Marjan Group, the Emirate’s leading developer, signed separate agreements with RAKBANK and the Bank of China. The Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry entered into accords with the Tianhe Central Business District and the Bureau of China International SME Fair. The Department of Antiquities and Museums formalised collaboration with Sun Yat-sen University History Museum, whilst RAKEZ partnered with Fujian Jihong Packaging Technology.

The visit represents a continuation of momentum already established through earlier engagements that have advanced strategic partnerships across Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Previous agreements with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China, alongside a foundational 2024 collaboration agreement with Guangdong Province, have laid the groundwork for sustained cooperation. The Emirate has also established its first business consultancy in China, creating a permanent institutional presence to facilitate ongoing trade and cultural exchange.

Speaking on the significance of these engagements, H.H. Sheikh Saud reflected that friendship between Ras Al Khaimah and China runs deep in history, revitalised by a shared vision for economic transformation. “Signing this friendship agreement with Fujian Province cements a partnership rooted in mutual respect, shared ambition and centuries of maritime connection,” His Highness observed. He added that aligning Chinese industrial and technological leadership with Ras Al Khaimah’s strategic location, manufacturing capabilities and economic opportunities whilst honouring shared cultural heritage creates pathways to sustainable progress for both peoples.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

These strategic developments in Ras Al Khaimah extend the broader United Arab Emirates trajectory of strengthening bilateral ties with China across multiple sectors and emirates. The emphasis on green supply chains, sustainable materials and technological innovation aligns with the UAE’s national priorities for economic diversification and environmental stewardship. The agreements signal how individual emirates are contributing to the collective deepening of Sino-Emirati relations, with particular focus on sectors where both nations possess complementary strengths.

The establishment of institutional mechanisms for ongoing collaboration, including business consultancies and formal memoranda covering banking, transport, manufacturing and cultural heritage, creates sustainable frameworks for knowledge exchange and commercial opportunity. For Abu Dhabi and the broader emirates, Ras Al Khaimah’s success in formalising these partnerships demonstrates the value of sustained diplomatic engagement and the economic potential unlocked through structured, long-term cooperation grounded in both historical connection and contemporary shared interests.

Source: WAM