ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
China’s Sunstone Development is moving ahead with plans to establish a $300 million anode production facility in the UAE through a joint venture with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), according to a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Investment.
The Ministry of Investment signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing-headquartered Sunstone to support the company’s establishment and licensing in the UAE and facilitate the development of the facility.
Sunstone entered into the joint venture agreement with EGA in December 2025. Once operational, the facility is expected to replace most of EGA’s current anode imports and position the UAE among a small number of countries exporting anodes globally, the statement said.
Under the MoU, the ministry will coordinate with relevant authorities and connect Sunstone with free zones and industrial parks, port operators, customs authorities, chambers of commerce and industry associations. It will also facilitate access to government-led trade missions, investment summits and industry platforms.
The project is expected to create skilled employment opportunities for UAE nationals and residents and strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities. The statement said localising an important stage of the aluminium value chain would reduce reliance on imported anodes and support the competitiveness of the UAE’s aluminium industry.
The ministry and Sunstone will establish a joint working group, chaired by the ministry, to oversee delivery of the project.
Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, said investment ties between the UAE and China continued to grow, with China now the fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment stock in the UAE.
“Beyond attracting high-quality investment decisions like Sunstone's, our role at the Ministry of Investment is to stand alongside investors throughout their journey in the UAE — helping them navigate the ecosystem, connect with the right partners, and translate their commitments into operations on the ground,” Alhawi said.
“This hands-on support is central to strengthening local industrial capabilities, bringing advanced technologies and expertise into the country, and advancing the UAE's economic diversification agenda,” he added.
Lang Guanghui, Chairman of Sunstone Development, said the MoU marked an important step in the company’s international growth.
“The UAE's business, investment, and industrial environment makes it the right platform from which to scale with confidence, giving us access to the talent we need and to clear, supportive regulatory frameworks, alongside world-class infrastructure and connectivity,” he said.
“Establishing our operations in the UAE allows us to bring our technologies closer to regional partners while serving our clients internationally from a location at the crossroads of global trade,” Guanghui added.
The statement said China contributed $3.9 billion of greenfield foreign direct investment into the UAE in 2025. Nearly 16,500 Chinese trade licences were active in the UAE by the end of July 2025, up more than 18% year-on-year.