Bilateral Branding

With Qatar’s ambitious plans for infrastructure projects and real estate developments in the build up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, many international investors have looked at the emerging business opportunities in the country. One such major player on the international stage is China, and its manufacturing sector in particular has identified tremendous opportunities. One of the challenges that Qatar continues to face in its booming construction sector is the lack of reliable and affordable appliances, textiles, aggregates, and other building supply materials. In response to the state of affairs, Qatar Chamber, together with China’s Foshan Chamber of International Commerce, held the Made in China Forum in Doha in December 2015. The exhibition’s purpose was to showcase over 100 Chinese companies within the manufacturing and supply sectors to highlight the opportunities for enhanced collaboration between the two countries.

The exhibition was opened by HE Dr. Mohamed bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry. Also in attendance was Chairman of Al Faisal Holding Company HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Qatar Financial Centre CEO Yousef Al-Jadia, Acting General Manager of Qatar Chamber Saleh Hamad Al Sharqi, and many other esteemed guests. Members of the Chinese delegation included Vice-Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Foshan Committee-Foshan Chamber of International Commerce Chen Hongzhan, Representative of the China International Centre for Economic & Technical Exchanges Ministry of Commerce Tian Guofeng, and Head of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of China to Qatar Cui Bin.

At the conclusion of the Made in China Forum, both sides remarked upon the exciting opportunities for bilateral collaboration between the two countries. While linking Chinese businesses to Qatari projects was of primary importance to both sides during the event, one of the other issues discussed was facilitating the interaction of Qatari-based companies coming to China to invest. China has seen Qatar’s propensity for outward real estate and energy project investments throughout the US, Europe, Africa, and South-East and Central Asia, and is keen to direct those investments into the Chinese market. Through this forum and continued collaboration of trade missions, both China and Qatar stand to gain economically as the countries strengthen diplomatic and business relations.