Prof. Jacqueline Armijo
Chinese University of Hong Kong
28/06/2023 17:30 pm
Waseda University, Building 14 Room 403
In 2004, DragonMart, a joint Chinese/Dubai government venture opened, and soon became the largest trading center for Chinese goods outside of China. Its rapid growth reflected both China’s expanding economic relations with the Gulf region, and the rapidly growing resident Chinese population (over 300,000 in Dubai alone). Hundreds of Hui now work at DragonMart, and it represents an increasingly popular way for Hui immigrants, now estimated in the thousands, to gain a foothold in Dubai. Many of the Hui residents are graduates of Islamic and Arabic schools in China, and Islamic universities overseas. Although they work in a wide range of fields (public and private sector, business, and education) in most cases their knowledge of Arabic and understanding of Islam plays a role in their employment.
The community in Dubai includes Hui from all regions of China, and reflects the wide range of networks (educational, business, marriage, etc.) that have maintained and strengthened the Hui over the centuries. Hui interviewed are consistently positive about the benefits of living in a Muslim society. Over a dozen Chinese halal restaurants have been opened over the past few years. In addition, several Hui community centers have been established that offer both Arabic and Islamic studies courses.
The importance of this growing community became clear in 2018, when the region’s first Chinese Mosque was opened. The name chosen for the mosque 华坊清真寺 harkens back to the term used to describe Tang period neighborhoods where foreign Muslims settled 蕃坊, as well as reflecting the neighborhood in Dubai where an increasing number of Chinese live. It has become an important community center for the Hui and Han communities, as well as the neighborhood mosque for Dubai’s diverse international Muslim communities. During Ramadan it provides halal Chinese meals to thousands for iftar.
With the true spirit of a Majlis you are all most welcome to join but to enable us to judge and manage numbers we kindly request you to book by filling in the registration form.
*Please be informed that this event will be conducted as an in-person ONLY gathering.
Jacqueline Armijo, (Chinese University of Hong Kong faculty affiliate) has carried out extensive fieldwork in China and the Gulf (the UAE and Qatar). Her research interests and publications have focused on: Islam in China; the growing importance of China-Gulf relations and their rapidly developing cultural and educational links; the Chinese Muslim (Hui) diaspora around the world; and China’s use of education and research initiatives to strengthen regional relationships related to the Belt and Road Initiative across Asia. She has taught at NYU-Shanghai, the Asian University for Women (Bangladesh), Qatar University, Zayed University (UAE), and Stanford University.
