The China International SME Fair, held annually in South China's Guangdong province since 2004, is expected to further strengthen the business relationship between China and the United Arab Emirates, officials said.

The event is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and the UAE is the co-host country for the first time this year.

"As a co-host country, the UAE will play a more important role to push forward exchange and cooperation of SMEs in China and Middle East countries and deepen bilateral economic and trade relations between China and the UAE," said He Zuoxian, deputy director-general of the Guangdong SME Bureau and director-general of the China International SME Fair Bureau.

Official figures show that the UAE is the largest export market and second largest trading partner among Arabian countries with China. In July, it became the first Gulf state to establish a strategic partnership with China.

Ac cording to Rahma Alshamsi, consul general of the UAE in Guangzhou, the UAE SME sector represents more than 98 percent of the total number of companies operating in the country, with a 60 percent contribution to national GDP.

"SMEs are the backbone of the UAE's growing economy and the UAE government has a strong ambition to further enhance the contribution and performance of the SME sector," Alshamsi said at a media briefing on Tuesday.

He said the UAE delegation to the fair selected 75 companies specializing in agricultural products, innovation, technology, hospitality and manufacturing.

Key SME entities such as Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, Khalifa Fund, Dubai SME, Ruwad and Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce are part of the delegation.

By taking an exhibition area of about 800 square meters, the UAE stand at the fair will showcase the products and services of its exhibitors, according to the delegation.

It will also include an area featuring cultural aspects of the UAE so that visitors can have a firsthand experience of the tourism and cultural offerings of the country, Alshamsi said.

"The stand design is such that visitors can easily identify the UAE companies from their sectors, approach them and engage in meaningful discussions," he said.

(China Daily 08/16/2018 page7)