Guangzhou: Raja Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), highlighted the growing importance of the UAE-China economic partnership, trusted trade ecosystems, and digital innovation during a high-level panel discussion at AIM China 2026 in Guangzhou. The forum, jointly hosted by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade and the AIM Global Foundation, provided a strategic platform for dialogue on the evolving architecture of global commerce and investment flows.
According to Emirates News Agency, Al Mazrouei addressed an audience of government officials, financial leaders, and industry representatives from around the world. She outlined how ECI is evolving to support UAE-based companies navigating a rapidly changing global trade landscape, increasingly defined by resilience, digital transformation, and deeper economic cooperation. She emphasized that the partnership between the UAE and China has evolved beyond traditional trade to include investment, advanced manufacturing, technology, and long-term economic collaboration. Non-oil trade between the UAE and China surpassed USD 111 billion in 2025, reaffirming China's position as the UAE's largest trading partner and reinforcing the UAE's strategic role as a gateway to the Middle East and Africa.
The panel was informed that the UAE's emergence as a global trading hub has been driven by a sustained commitment to openness, world-class infrastructure, efficient logistics networks, and a business-friendly regulatory framework. These foundations have enabled the country to facilitate East-West trade flows for decades while building a trusted ecosystem that supports investment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
Within this ecosystem, ECI continues to play a pivotal role as the UAE's federal export credit company, extending beyond traditional risk coverage to provide credit guarantees, political risk protection, and innovative trade finance solutions that empower businesses to expand with confidence.
Looking ahead to the future of cross-border trade and finance, Al Mazrouei highlighted the accelerating convergence of digital ecosystems and artificial intelligence. She noted that emerging initiatives across the UAE and China are enabling faster, more transparent, and more efficient international transactions, with financing, insurance, compliance, and settlement increasingly converging on interconnected digital platforms.
She added that AI is fundamentally transforming global trade by enabling organizations to optimize production, logistics, and procurement at unprecedented levels of efficiency, creating new opportunities for businesses to become more agile, competitive, and globally integrated.
ECI's participation at AIM China 2026 reinforced its commitment to fostering international collaboration, advancing digital trade ecosystems, and equipping UAE businesses with the tools and confidence needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
