Hong Kong’s trade with Gulf Arab countries rises 35% in 5 months

Trade between China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Gulf Arab countries increased by more than 35 per cent in the first five months of 2026, outpacing the growth recorded for the whole of the previous year, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government Paul Chan said.Chan said the growth rate compared with a 5 per cent annual uptick in the previous year, as reported by a local media outlet.

Hong Kong’s trade with Gulf Arab countries rose over 35 per cent in the first five months of 2026, against 5 per cent annual growth in 2025.
Trade with the United Arab Emirates climbed over 52 per cent, signalling stronger Asia-Gulf flows.
The corridor is relevant for textile and apparel exporters, importers and sourcing teams alongside Gulf wealth funds’ 40 per cent Asia allocation.

He also said bilateral trade with the United Arab Emirates rose over 52 per cent during the same five-month period.

The figures indicate stronger commercial flows between Hong Kong and Gulf Arab countries, a corridor relevant to importers, exporters and sourcing teams tracking Asia-Gulf trade links.

Chan also noted a tendency among Gulf sovereign wealth funds to look for alternative investment destinations outside the US and Europe. He said around 40 per cent of their multi-billion-US-dollar asset allocation last year went to Asia.

For textile and apparel supply-chain businesses, the reported rise adds a trade signal to monitor alongside Gulf-Asia investment patterns, especially where Hong Kong forms part of commercial engagement with Gulf Arab countries.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk