Mansoor Jaffar, CEO of the Academy and Research Center at Abu Dhabi Global Market Academy (right) speaks to People's Daily.

Abu Dhabi (People's Daily) — Mansoor Jaffar, CEO of the Academy and Research Center at Abu Dhabi Global Market, told People's Daily how his institution supports China-United Arab Emirates relations and which skills financial professionals must have to be ready for the future.

Established in 2015, Abu Dhabi Global Market is Abu Dhabi's international financial center and has hosted 13,353 active licenses, 3,741 operational entities, 365 financial services firms and more than 47,000 professionals.

A standout element of the academy's growth is its deepening engagement with China, viewed as vital for mutual knowledge exchange and economic ties.

"Over the last three to four years, the academy built a strong relationship with China," Jaffar said. The key collaborations include partnerships with prominent Chinese universities in Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The academy, according to Jaffar, emphasises mobility of knowledge, experiences, friendship and opportunities as the foundation of China-UAE relations.

"Abu Dhabi welcomes Chinese professionals and companies through supportive regulations, policies and community integration," he said. "This includes helping them navigate local culture and society while fostering reciprocal learning."

Driven by leadership vision, China and the UAE share strong ties, particularly in AI, technology and digital transformation, he said, and the academy acts as a bridge by using dynamic, mobility-focused exchanges rather than traditional learning methods.

By training Chinese professionals in the market's frameworks and exposing both UAE and Chinese talent to cutting-edge financial and AI tools, the academy aims to drive practical innovation, support Chinese investment and solidify Abu Dhabi's status as a global financial hub.