ع
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry convened a press conference on July 29, 2026 to outline arrangements for METAS 2026, scheduled to run from August 3 to 5 at Expo Centre Sharjah. Event organizers reported that 44 companies from eight Chinese provinces will take part alongside six UAE firms and one from Jordan, presenting items that cover passenger car and truck tyres, alloy wheels, brake systems, engine components, commercial vehicle parts, automotive electronics and complete vehicles. The gathering included senior officials from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Shandong Provincial Government Economic and Trade Representative Office in West Asia and Africa, Expo Centre Sharjah and the Shandong Business Council in the UAE.
Inter Commerce Expo Corporation representative Zhou Runcheng spoke at the briefing about the scale of Chinese involvement. “This expo is a powerful testament to the UAE’s enduring role as the preeminent trade and logistics hub of the MENA region,” Zhou Runcheng said. “The presence of 44 companies from 8 provinces of China is a resounding vote of confidence in the UAE’s economy and in Sharjah’s strategic position,” he added. Hualun Inter Tech FZCO executive Hua Chunguang also addressed the audience on the platform’s development.
Hua Chunguang positioned METAS as a nationally recognized platform for China’s full automotive industry. “The enthusiasm from neighboring countries to visit Sharjah has been remarkable — a reflection of the emirate’s friendly business environment, mature industrial infrastructure, and world-class logistics network,” Hua Chunguang stated. Jamal Bu Zinjal of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry highlighted bilateral relations during his remarks at the July 29 event. “Sharjah has long been a preferred destination for international trade events, and METAS exemplifies the strong and growing economic ties between the UAE and China,” Jamal Bu Zinjal said. “We are proud to support this platform and the opportunities it creates for businesses on both sides.”
A dedicated “Shandong Quality World Wide” automotive and auto parts industry promotion and precision sourcing matchmaking conference will take place on August 4, drawing approximately 100 international professionals. The METAS initiative operates as one element of Shandong Province’s “One Industry, One Policy” foreign trade excellence program for the automotive and auto parts sector, which encompasses four events in total. Organizers indicated that METAS will return to Sharjah in 2027 while a UAE automotive delegation plans to visit Shandong in September 2026 for trade engagements, facility inspections and cooperation talks.
United Nations trade data compiled by Trading Economics placed UAE imports of parts and accessories of motor vehicles from China at $571 million during 2024. China’s passenger car tyre export volume rose 15.34 percent in the first eight months of the year, according to industry compilations of official statistics. The UAE has functioned as a re-export hub for auto components to markets including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Kuwait, with its auto parts and accessories trade valued at around $11 billion in 2017 per archived market assessments from U.S. authorities.
The exhibition series has expanded since its 2022 launch, with the METAS organizers’ website noting that recent editions have attracted more than 200 exhibitors and over 19,000 trade visitors. This growth aligns with broader demand for automotive aftermarket and supply chain connections across the Middle East. Preparations for the 2026 edition continue with input from multiple Shandong business entities and local Sharjah partners to facilitate business matching and sector development.
