Qatar Free Zones Authority held a series of productive meetings and workshops in Guangdong, Shenzhen and Hong Kong over the past week. The visits provided a vital opportunity to explore partnerships with leading healthcare, industrial, real-estate, energy and technology companies, and raise awareness among Chinese companies of the wide range of benefits offered by Qatar’s free zones, including 100% foreign ownership, zero customs duties and business friendly regulatory framework. QFZA CEO Lim Meng Hui and Deputy CEO Abdulla Al-Misnad led the QFZA delegation.

Many of the meetings and workshops were focused on emerging technology, in line with QFZA’s continued focus on this important sector. In Guangdong, QFZA representatives met with companies operating in pharmaceutical packaging, nutrition, virtual reality and the development of smart city solutions, and explored potential approaches to further similar developments in Qatar. In Shenzhen, QFZA attended the 7^th China Information Technology Expo, the only national platform for the electronic and information and communications technology (ICT) industries. QFZA also co-hosted a workshop with the Shenzhen Association of Trade in Services (SATS) to explore long-term cooperation and ways through which companies can setup in Qatar’s world-class free zones. The event attracted more than 30 companies operating across the artificial intelligence, robotics, pharmaceuticals, maritime logistics and fintech industries.

While in Shenzhen, QFZA representatives were also able to visit the headquarters of Huawei, one of the world’s leading providers of ICT technology, infrastructure and smart devices.

In Hong Kong, QFZA held a series of high-level meetings with Invest Hong Kong, Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association. The meetings focused on potential opportunities in Qatar’s free zones, and included fruitful discussions on Qatar’s regulatory environment and global connectivity.

The meetings have helped raise awareness of exciting opportunities within Qatar’s two brand new free zones, Um Alhoul and Ras Bufontas, and the ways through which operations in these specialized zones can support the growth of companies from China and Hong Kong as they look to develop and market their products and services for the regional and global market.