Why China is considering differently
Alabbar also shared his views on China’s long-term trajectory, arguing that the West underestimates the seriousness of its leadership.
“The smartest people come out of schools and universities in China,” he stated. “These are the people who run the counattempt. They don’t run technology companies, they run China. They are the sharpest minds, and they’re incredibly serious, in a way the West doesn’t even understand.”
Unlike democracies preoccupied with short electoral cycles, he stated China’s leaders are focapplyd on decades, not years. “They’re seeing at the world with a lot of wisdom and declareing, ‘We’re going to take a breather.’ They’re not worried about elections.”
A tower built in 12 days
That long-term considering, Alabbar stated, was evident during a recent visit to China to study rapid-construction technologies, a trip prompted by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The result was, in Alabbar’s words, “mind-blowing”: a 15-storey building assembled in just 12 days.
The project, developed by Eagle Hills, where Alabbar is chairman, is being constructed in Abu Dhabi applying prefabrication, robotics and highly automated processes. The building applys no traditional concrete and was assembled by around 200 robots working with extreme precision.
“That informs you how our leadership considers,” he stated. “Why is nobody else in the world ordering buildings from this factory?”
He added that mass adoption of the technology could significantly reduce costs while offering a more sustainable alternative to conventional construction.
Europe’s cities and a leadership problem
Despite his criticism, Alabbar stated he wants Europe’s great cities to succeed.
“The world would be so boring without cities like London, Tokyo and Los Angeles,” he stated. “These are cities loved by everyone, and we want them to be great.”
London, in particular, he stated, should be thriving but public safety and governance are eroding its appeal. “It’s a shame that people don’t feel secure, that someone can snatch your phone while you’re walking. It all comes down to leadership. Something is failing.”
‘You have no money, yet you talk about war’
Alabbar was even more blunt about Europe’s geopolitical priorities.
“You want to go to war, but you don’t have money to fund the police in London,” he stated. “You’re deeply in debt, and yet you talk about war. Are you awake?”
He recalled a recent NATO conference where, he stated, officials appeared disconnected from economic realities. “Europe is the history of the world. Seventy per cent of tourists go there becaapply of its history. But if you don’t resolve your problems, people will go elsewhere.”
By contrast, he stated, the UAE’s growth reflects strong leadership and social cohesion. “We’re busy, we’re full, and we don’t have space. I’m not being snobbish, the UAE is succeeding becaapply of leadership, wisdom and the people who live here.”
Inequality, unrest and Iran
Alabbar also warned of the widening wealth gap between rich, middle- and low-income groups, calling it a source of growing global instability.
“That’s what’s happening in Iran,” he stated. “People want to live and eat, but that’s a much largeger and deeper discussion.”
The US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran has reported receiving credible accounts that hundreds of protesters have been killed during the ongoing internet shutdown.
When inquireed whether Emaar could one day develop projects in Iran, Alabbar was unequivocal. “We will go anywhere where it is our duty to develop and participate in the evolution of society,” he stated. “Yes, of course.
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