Syrian activists have raised doubts over the status of the Chinese company, Fidi Contracting, that’s just signed a major contract to invest in the Hasiya Free Trade Zone in Homs and the Adra Free Trade Zone in rural Damascus. The activists revealed that their investigations could find no online presence for the company and they’ve been unable to find any trace of its involvement in business in China or any other countries.

Syria’s General Authority for Land and Maritime Ports announced the signing of what it described as a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese company on Thursday (May 22). The agreement grants the company the right to fully invest in the Hasiya Free Zone in Homs Governorate, which extends over an area estimated at approximately 850,000 square meters. The goal is to establish an integrated industrial zone containing specialized factories and production facilities.
The MoU, signed for an initial period of 20 years, also grants the Chinese company the right to invest in 300,000 square meters of the free zone in Adra in Rural Damascus Governorate, to establish commercial and service projects that meet the demands of the local and regional markets.

According to reports, the Chinese firm had emphasized its commitment to implementing the project's phases according to a specific timetable, ensuring economic feasibility and enhancing the role of free trade zones as a driver of development and attracting foreign direct investment.

The activists' investigation, reported in an article on Al Eqtsad news site, throws doubts on the company’s bona fides, however. The article quotes activist Mishaal Al-Adawi, who claims that he and a number of colleagues similarly keen to find out more about this major business deal had attempted to research the company's history and previous business activities using various means - but had been unable to find any information. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Al-Adawi said that he and colleagues had made exhaustive efforts to find out more about the company, including deep-dive online searches, and worked with consulting agencies specializing in tracking companies’ business status. He explained that they were unable to find any trace of the company on the ground.

Al-Adawi added that he had sought the help of a prominent businessman, whom he did not name, who in turn contacted his own company's offices in China, but they also found no trace of the company.

Other activists confirmed that they had conducted similar research on the company but found no information about it. They noted that the company might be newly established, which they said raises questions and some surprise.

The official media outlets that reported the signing of the contract with the Chinese company did not publish any details or clarifications about the nature of the contract, whether in terms of its financial value or the workforce expected to be employed by this investment.

By Ruth Riegler

Photo: Issued by the Syrian Ports Authority to announce the signing of the contract with Chinese company Fidi Contracting on May 22, 2025