DUBAI - A trade delegation from China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region started on Wednesday a multi-day visit to promote trade projects, according to its statement.

The delegation plans to meet Dubai's trade and logistics community to promote Shizuishan logistics park in the north of Ningxia and the upcoming China Arab States Expo in 2017.

Wang Yongyao, the mayor of Shizuishan and also the delegation's lead, said the visit "is a very important part of our strategy to promote the biennial expo that will take place in late 2017."

"We want to build the best platform to make next year's forum a success," he added.

Nadia Abdul Aziz, the president of the UAE's National Association of Freight and Logistics, welcomed the delegation and encouraged firms from Ningxia to do business with the Gulf state.

"We have 38 free zones for different industries, all wide open to business at very competitive prices based on a one-stop-shop principle," Nadia said.

Chinese consul general Li Lingbing highlighted the role of Ningxia as a very important place linking China and the Middle East through modern transportation.

The delegation explained the potential of the region to become a logistics hub for halal products in particular, as over two million Muslims live in Ningxia.

Bilateral trade between the UAE and China is expected to hit $60 billion by the end of 2016, up from $54.8 billion in 2014 when China became Dubai's biggest trade partner.

The Gulf state now has 4,200 Chinese firms, 356 trade agencies and 2,500 Chinese trade labels, according to China Foreign Trade Center.