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United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The latest news, analysis and opinion on United Arab Emirates (UAE). In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Abu Dhabi

Head of State

President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

China’s President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Beijing on April 14. Photo: cnsphoto via Reuters

China economy

Opinion | For the US dollar, a subtler shift than a ‘petroyuan’ order is underfoot

Talk of a dollar collapse or ‘petroyuan’ order arriving amid the Iran war misses the mark. The larger shift is subtler and no less consequential.

1 hour agovideocam

China-Middle East relations

Iran digs in as US envoys Kushner and Witkoff head to Pakistan for more talks

25 Apr 2026 - 10:35PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt: the Middle East’s new power brokers?

25 Apr 2026 - 1:30PM

US, Israel war on Iran

US sanctions China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iran oil

Hengli Petrochemical’s facility in Dalian can process 400,000 barrels per day, making it one of the biggest independent refineries in China.

25 Apr 2026 - 3:06PMvideocam

A Hengli Group petrochemical industrial park is seen in China’s Dalian in June 2024. Photo: Xinhua

Singapore

Man convicted of trafficking Singaporean Tinder date for Dubai sex work

Achraf Arjaouy targeted the victim by pretending to be a wealthy pilot from Qatar who wished to marry her.

23 Apr 2026 - 2:15PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | How China’s patient diplomacy can help secure peace in Iran

China’s diplomacy, backed by leverage and guarantees of assistance, could provide a template for contemporary conflicts where a single side cannot carry the day.

22 Apr 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

Readers discuss the opportunity for the city created by the Iran war, the proposal to allow taxis into Discovery Bay, and a planned pig farm in Sheung Shui.

21 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

An Emirates Airbus A380 passenger aircraft prepares for landing at Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 8. Photo: AFP

China trade

China presses IMF for quota reform, better surveillance of advanced economies

PBOC head urges IMF to ‘stand against protectionism’ amid effects from tariffs, Iran war.

20 Apr 2026 - 5:05PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war escalates as Houthis threaten to sever Saudi oil exports

Targets reportedly include a Saudi pipeline to the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and a UAE export terminal at Fujairah, outside the Gulf.

20 Apr 2026 - 8:36PM

Banking & finance

Hong Kong reasserts role as safe haven in global finance amid Iran conflict

The city’s safe-harbour appeal for capital and investments grows as China’s support strengthens its edge while Dubai faces pressure.

20 Apr 2026 - 10:47AM

Helping boost Hong Kong are a pegged exchange rate, free capital flows and support from China’s economic strength. Photo: Jelly Tse

Crime

LA woman charged in US with trafficking arms to Sudan for Iran

Shamim Mafi is accused ‘brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition’.

20 Apr 2026 - 11:46AM

Los Angeles International Airport, where Iranian national Shamim Mafi was arrested on Saturday. Photo: AP

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong real estate gains as Middle East tensions rattle Dubai market

Early signs of capital inflows and tenant movement emerge as Dubai property softens and investors rethink regional bets.

20 Apr 2026 - 2:04PM

US, Israel war on Iran

How China’s military could learn vital lessons from war in Iran

The US-Israeli attacks are a ‘massive learning opportunity’, a Middle East analyst tells a seminar held in Shenzhen.

18 Apr 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

China-Middle East relations

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

AVA 6 passage marks at least the second transit of a China-linked tanker through the waterway since the US military operation began.

17 Apr 2026 - 9:38PMvideocam

Shipping data shows a Hong Kong-flagged ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Middle East

‘First of its kind’ flying taxi station completed in Dubai

Commercial operations, with flights by California-based Joby Aviation, are expected to begin by the end of the year.

17 Apr 2026 - 6:36AMvideocam

An electric air taxi by Joby Aviation flies near the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in New York in November 2023. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

China’s Wang Yi calls on Iran to ensure freedom and safe passage through strait

In phone call with Iran’s top envoy, China’s foreign minister says situation is at ‘critical stage of transition between conflict and peace’.

16 Apr 2026 - 2:52PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Mark Mobius, pioneering investor in China, dies at 89

‘Father of emerging markets’ was among the first fund managers to champion investments in Hong Kong and mainland China.

16 Apr 2026 - 7:13PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Chinese tanker retreats twice from US’ Hormuz blockade in 48 hours

While the Rich Starry didn’t visit an Iranian port, it is on a US blacklist for allegedly helping Tehran evade sanctions.

15 Apr 2026 - 10:14PMvideocam

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a trickle compared to the more than 130 daily crossings usually seen before the war began. Photo: Reuters

Africa

Sudan enters 4th year of war as ‘abandoned crisis’ grows

The war has pushed parts of Sudan into famine and the UN says about 34 million people, or almost two of every three Sudanese, need help.

16 Apr 2026 - 12:07AM

Pakistan

Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume

A senior official involved in Islamabad’s diplomacy says it is trying to defuse the crisis ‘in any way we can’.

15 Apr 2026 - 10:50PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

China cements Russia ties as both win from US war

Russia is boosting oil exports, including to China, as the Iran war upends Middle East supplies, while Chinese renewables companies will benefit from efforts to diversify away from fossil fuels.

15 Apr 2026 - 5:49PM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry/AFP

2026 Trump-Xi summit

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

15 Apr 2026 - 5:45PM

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Xinhua

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Hong Kong is the perfect complement to Dubai, not a replacement

Readers discuss the possibility of the wealthy migrating to Hong Kong from the United Arab Emirates, and the Hong Kong government’s response to war’s disruptions.

15 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

China-Middle East relations

Xi’s meeting with Abu Dhabi crown prince highlights Gulf turn towards China

Analysts said the trip was a sign that the UAE was seeking ‘more reliable partners’ in the wake of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

14 Apr 2026 - 10:27PMvideocam

SCMP Highlights

Japan’s sakura season rift, Singapore’s Hormuz stance: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan’s sakura season rift to a defamation hearing, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

14 Apr 2026 - 3:15PM

Oil tankers anchor off Muscat, Oman, on March 7. Photo: Reuters

Pakistan

Minister says Pakistan ‘committed’ to repay US$3 billion loan from UAE

Finance Minister Aurangzeb said the government was exploring a ‘combination of many sources’ to pay back the amount.

14 Apr 2026 - 8:51AMvideocam

Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

China says open Hormuz key to global interests as Trump blockade looms

Beijing’s foreign ministry denies that China plans to provide weapons and military tech to Iran.

13 Apr 2026 - 9:44PMvideocam

Banking & finance

HSBC stays the course in the Middle East despite war

The bank will continue to invest in the UAE, alongside India, China and Singapore, says Surendra Rosha, co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East.

13 Apr 2026 - 6:17PM

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United Arab Emirates (UAE)

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | For the US dollar, a subtler shift than a ‘petroyuan’ order is underfoot

Talk of a dollar collapse or ‘petroyuan’ order arriving amid the Iran war misses the mark. The larger shift is subtler and no less consequential.

Iran digs in as US envoys Kushner and Witkoff head to Pakistan for more talks

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt: the Middle East’s new power brokers?

US sanctions China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iran oil

Hengli Petrochemical’s facility in Dalian can process 400,000 barrels per day, making it one of the biggest independent refineries in China.

Man convicted of trafficking Singaporean Tinder date for Dubai sex work

Achraf Arjaouy targeted the victim by pretending to be a wealthy pilot from Qatar who wished to marry her.

Opinion | How China’s patient diplomacy can help secure peace in Iran

China’s diplomacy, backed by leverage and guarantees of assistance, could provide a template for contemporary conflicts where a single side cannot carry the day.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

Readers discuss the opportunity for the city created by the Iran war, the proposal to allow taxis into Discovery Bay, and a planned pig farm in Sheung Shui.

China presses IMF for quota reform, better surveillance of advanced economies

PBOC head urges IMF to ‘stand against protectionism’ amid effects from tariffs, Iran war.

Iran war escalates as Houthis threaten to sever Saudi oil exports

Targets reportedly include a Saudi pipeline to the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and a UAE export terminal at Fujairah, outside the Gulf.

Hong Kong reasserts role as safe haven in global finance amid Iran conflict

The city’s safe-harbour appeal for capital and investments grows as China’s support strengthens its edge while Dubai faces pressure.

LA woman charged in US with trafficking arms to Sudan for Iran

Shamim Mafi is accused ‘brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition’.

Hong Kong real estate gains as Middle East tensions rattle Dubai market

Early signs of capital inflows and tenant movement emerge as Dubai property softens and investors rethink regional bets.

How China’s military could learn vital lessons from war in Iran

The US-Israeli attacks are a ‘massive learning opportunity’, a Middle East analyst tells a seminar held in Shenzhen.

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

AVA 6 passage marks at least the second transit of a China-linked tanker through the waterway since the US military operation began.

‘First of its kind’ flying taxi station completed in Dubai

Commercial operations, with flights by California-based Joby Aviation, are expected to begin by the end of the year.

China’s Wang Yi calls on Iran to ensure freedom and safe passage through strait

In phone call with Iran’s top envoy, China’s foreign minister says situation is at ‘critical stage of transition between conflict and peace’.

Mark Mobius, pioneering investor in China, dies at 89

‘Father of emerging markets’ was among the first fund managers to champion investments in Hong Kong and mainland China.

Chinese tanker retreats twice from US’ Hormuz blockade in 48 hours

While the Rich Starry didn’t visit an Iranian port, it is on a US blacklist for allegedly helping Tehran evade sanctions.

Sudan enters 4th year of war as ‘abandoned crisis’ grows

The war has pushed parts of Sudan into famine and the UN says about 34 million people, or almost two of every three Sudanese, need help.

Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume

A senior official involved in Islamabad’s diplomacy says it is trying to defuse the crisis ‘in any way we can’.

China cements Russia ties as both win from US war

Russia is boosting oil exports, including to China, as the Iran war upends Middle East supplies, while Chinese renewables companies will benefit from efforts to diversify away from fossil fuels.

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

Letters | Hong Kong is the perfect complement to Dubai, not a replacement

Readers discuss the possibility of the wealthy migrating to Hong Kong from the United Arab Emirates, and the Hong Kong government’s response to war’s disruptions.

Xi’s meeting with Abu Dhabi crown prince highlights Gulf turn towards China

Analysts said the trip was a sign that the UAE was seeking ‘more reliable partners’ in the wake of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Japan’s sakura season rift, Singapore’s Hormuz stance: 7 Asia highlights

From Japan’s sakura season rift to a defamation hearing, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Minister says Pakistan ‘committed’ to repay US$3 billion loan from UAE

Finance Minister Aurangzeb said the government was exploring a ‘combination of many sources’ to pay back the amount.

China says open Hormuz key to global interests as Trump blockade looms

Beijing’s foreign ministry denies that China plans to provide weapons and military tech to Iran.

HSBC stays the course in the Middle East despite war

The bank will continue to invest in the UAE, alongside India, China and Singapore, says Surendra Rosha, co-CEO for Asia and the Middle East.

Opinion | For the US dollar, a subtler shift than a ‘petroyuan’ order is underfoot

Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East