Over 180 countries are set to participate in Dubai’s Expo 2020, but few of them will be as closely watched as China, which officially confirmed its participation at the event earlier this month.

The world’s second largest economy has seen trade ties with Middle Eastern nations grow rapidly in the past decade, and views the Arab world as a crucial part of its wider Belt and Road Initiative. The plan seeks to forge new trade links by land and sea along the ancient Silk Road from Asia to Europe. Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seem ideally located to benefit.

These investments and more can make UAE the hub of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The China effect on Dubai’s real estate market is only going to get bigger. High net worth Chinese buyers are looking at a selection of projects from Dubai’s leading developers to see what sort of exposures they can commit to.