Abu dhabi: The UAE Ministry of Investment signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sunstone Development Co., Ltd., a publicly listed Chinese company headquartered in Beijing, to support the establishment of an anode production facility in the UAE.
According to Emirates News Agency, the MoU reflects the UAE's drive to diversify its economy and strengthen the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector by attracting foreign direct investment in high-value industries. It underscores deepening investment ties between the UAE and the People's Republic of China. The MoU was signed by Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Under-Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, and Lang Guanghui, Chairman of Sunstone Development Co., Ltd.
The signing of the MoU follows Sunstone's joint venture agreement with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) in December 2025 to develop an anode production facility in the UAE, representing an investment of approximately US$300 million. Once operational, the facility's output is expected to replace most of EGA's current anode imports and position the UAE among a handful of countries exporting anodes globally, in line with the Make It In The Emirates initiative and Operation 300bn.
As part of the MoU, the Ministry of Investment will support Sunstone's establishment and licensing in the UAE. This includes coordinating with relevant authorities and connecting the company to free zones and industrial parks, port operators and customs authorities, and chambers of commerce and industry associations, as well as government-led trade missions, investment summits, and industry platforms. This reflects the Ministry's role in helping strategic investors navigate the UAE's ecosystem and translate their commitments into long-term operations, in line with its ambition to build the UAE into a global centre for industrial manufacturing, trade, and investment, as set out in the National Investment Strategy 2031.
The project is expected to generate skilled employment opportunities for UAE nationals and residents, while strengthening the country's domestic manufacturing base and industrial capabilities. By localising a critical stage of the aluminium value chain, the facility will reduce reliance on imported anodes, support the competitiveness of the UAE's wider aluminium industry, and contribute to the broader diversification of the national economy.
To oversee delivery, the Ministry and Sunstone will establish a joint working group chaired by the Ministry, reflecting its broader role in working alongside strategic investors from initial commitment through to execution. Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Under-Secretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, emphasized the growing investment ties between the UAE and China, noting China's significant role as a source of foreign direct investment in the UAE. Alhawi highlighted the Ministry's commitment to supporting investors throughout their journey in the UAE.
Lang Guanghui, Chairman of Sunstone Development Co., Ltd., noted that the MoU marks an important step in Sunstone Development's international growth. Guanghui praised the UAE's business, investment, and industrial environment, which provides a platform for Sunstone to scale with confidence, access talent, and leverage supportive regulatory frameworks and world-class infrastructure.
The UAE-China economic relationship continues to deepen across trade, investment, and industry. In 2025, China contributed US$3.9 billion of greenfield FDI into the UAE, reflecting sustained interest among Chinese companies for long-term, capital-intensive projects in the country. By the end of July 2025, nearly 16,500 Chinese trade licences were active in the UAE market, marking a significant increase year-on-year and covering a wide range of economic and investment activities.