Chinese firms anchor in Dubai free zones to navigate trade barriers and expand reach

Chinese firms are increasingly anchoring themselves in Dubai’s free trade zones to navigate trade barriers and tap new markets as rising protectionism and supply-chain shifts impact global commerce. Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), state-owned DP World’s flagship free economic zone at the western end of the city in the United Arab Emirates, hosted 507 Chinese companies as of November, nearly double the number in 2021. The trend reflected how a Middle Eastern hub offered companies “neutral, stable...