A delegation of 30 top investors from China will take part in the Arab-China Tech Summit, being held this week in Dubai.

The conference, on from May 2, 3 and 5, will focus attention on cross border innovation and technology and will also be attended by a similar number of known UAE start-ups and venture capitalists, said a statement from the organisers.

This ePanda initiative, jointly organised with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, is designed to generate a better and more abiding understanding of two cultures as well as create a stairway to the next level of hi-tech applications through discussions and dialogue, it said.

The summit aims to increase Arab-China co-operation in this field, said organisers of an upcoming event.

On Day 1, which is open to any interested delegates, keynote speaker Dr Hongjiang Zhang, venture partner of Source Code Capital, will set the proceedings in motion. A tech expert with a wealth of experience, he will be speaking about the technology transformation journey in China in the context of the Summit.

Dr Zhang is the recipient of many awards and is well known in the research community for his leadership in media computing and his pioneering work in video and image content analysis and search. He holds close to 200 patents, and authored over 400 scientific papers, and is one of the most sited researchers in computer science.

In previous roles, he was the CEO of Kingsoft, a board member of Cheetah Mobile Inc and the managing director of Microsoft Advanced Technology Center (ATC). He was one of the first 10 Microsoft Distinguished Scientists.

Dr Zhang will be followed by other eminent speakers including Guifeng liu, senior vice president, Cheetah Mobile and Kushal Shah, head of Roland Berger and founder of Dubai Angel Investors.

Yi Cao, founder of Source Code Capital, will also be speaking on Day 2, added the statement.

Cao is a widely acknowledged expert in the industry and was recognised for his services and his entrepreneurship by Fortune China's "40 under 40 List of 2016". He was also awarded "Investor of the Year 2016" by Cyzone (aka Chuangyebang), and named "Investor of the Year 2016" by Dark Horse (aka iHeima) etc. Prior to founding Source Code Capital in 2014, Cao worked at Sequoia Capital China.

On day 2 the priority will be on issues within the industry and the points of reference will range from the Future of E-commerce logistics and payment to the future of Entertainment and content. The session will be opened by the key note speaker; Mudassir Sheikha, founder of Careem.

There will also be a start-ups showcase where local entrepreneurial successes like Altibbi, Soukare and Souqalmal will share their insights, expertise and know-how on ways to scale a start-up in the Middle East region. The day will be hosted by Samar Imtiaz, consultant at Roland Berger and moderated by Tariq Qureshi, founder of MAD Talks.

Day 3 will be dedicated to networking and further discussion and dialogue, it stated.

Speaking on behalf of the organisers and welcoming the delegates, Rita Huangzhen of ePanda said she was confident this would be a watershed meet between two forward thinking nations.

Kushal Shah, managing partner, Roland Berger, said: “We are showcasing some of the best start-ups in the region that are breaking through and defining the e-commerce and digital space.”

“Connecting with top Chinese investors and success stories is a unique opportunity for both sides to understand each other and build bridges and opportunities,” he said.

“This is an enormously impressive emerging market and the potential for collaborative growth is exponential,” Huangzhen said, adding that at present, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and many other Middle East countries are increasing investments in the information and internet sectors.

Huangzhen also elaborated on Chinese government’s concentration on the "Belt and Road" (OBOR) region these past two years thereby making the region a high priority for China’s capital investment.

She expressed the opinion that China's Internet and Online primacy in technology, talent and capital would set off a new wave of change in the Middle East.

Finally she reiterated the fact that her team was imbued with a clear sense of mission to make a difference and assert a positive influence on the growth of the Startup Ecosystem and disruptive business models in the region.

“We are determined to connect as many people as we can and bring nations closer together,” she said amplifying her intent.

The three-day summit is ably supported by a number of distinguished organisations including Roland Berger, MAD talks, Brave, MagNitt, TiE Dubai and 1776, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service