DIEZ’s Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) has signed an agreement with China’s Zhuanzhuan Group, a firm specializing in secondhand goods trading, to develop a cross-border supply chain for secondhand consumer goods from Dubai to the wider Middle East and global markets.
The MoU was signed by Arif Al Khoori, Senior Vice President – Customer Care at DAFZ and Wang Su, Corporate Vice President of Zhuanzhuan Group. This highlights DAFZ’s commitment to driving circular economy by attracting forward-thinking businesses and fostering a globally connected, innovation-driven business ecosystem across its economic zones.
The initiative will also strengthen Dubai’s role as a global hub for sustainable trade while solidifying its status as a key trade gateway connecting Asia, Africa and Europe.
Under the MoU, Zhuanzhuan Group will set up its regional headquarters within DAFZ. The facility will support a fully integrated supply chain covering recycling, quality inspection, classification, and packaging.
DIEZ will provide institutional support to facilitate collaboration with logistics providers, customs authorities, clearance agents, and distribution partners, enhancing operational efficiency through flexible and effective solutions.
Zhuanzhuan is committed to fostering circular economy initiatives. Some of the efforts include biodegradable packaging and a cumulative reduction of more than 4.1 million tons in carbon emissions.
Amna Lootah Director General – DAFZA
“This partnership highlights Dubai’s commitment to attracting high-quality investments and enhancing its integration into global value chains, in line with our strategic objectives of positioning the emirate as a leading global hub for sustainable trade. This stems from our commitment to supporting international companies in their growth and innovation journeys, in alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 — which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033, reinforce its standing among the world’s top three urban economies, and enhance its appeal as a premier global destination for business and investment. Through this MoU, we are committed to streamlining procedures and fostering an enabling environment for the growth of the secondhand goods sector — particularly amid the accelerating global shift towards a circular economy. We will leverage our capabilities and networks to facilitate the establishment and operations of Zhuanzhuan, while supporting its logistics activities and distribution networks.”
Wang Su, Corporate Vice President of Zhuanzhuan Group, added that, “We look forward to establishing new benchmarks in the secondhand goods trade across the region through this strategic partnership with DAFZ. We are confident that Dubai will serve as an ideal gateway to regional markets, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, trade facilitation services, logistical efficiency, and strategic geographic location.”
The MoU also includes plans to co-develop research and specialized working papers that dive into the future of the circular economy and secondhand goods trading, with the goal of establishing best practices and sustainable benchmarks for the sector.
DAFZ will offer regulatory, technical and institutional support for Zhuanzhuan Group’s registration and integration within the Freezone. Meanwhile, Zhuanzhuan Group will ensure alignment with Chinese and Dubai technical and compliance standards, while also providing DAFZ with potential opportunities to establish new entities from within its global supply chain partners.
This partnership is expected to foster innovative business models within the sustainable trade ecosystem, supporting Dubai’s strategic vision to drive circular economy and support enterprises that focus on innovation to promote responsible consumption.
