The first TV station in the Middle East owned by a Chinese went on air on Tuesday.

The station covers 21 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Estimates show that Asian Business Satellite TV has a potential audience of about 400 million via satellite.

The Dubai TV station will mainly provide programs about China to Arabic-speaking countries, Xinhua news agency said.

The TV station will broadcast programs, such as China Business Travel Express, A Window to Chinese Industries and a program about Chinese culture, and will report business information daily.

Wang Weisheng, the station's chairman of the board, expects these programs to be a bridge to introduce more Chinese brands into the Middle East market.

The station will also introduce tourism resorts and historic relics in China to the Arabic audience, helping them have a better knowledge of China.

Wang, who left his hometown of Wenzhou City in eastern China's Zhejiang Province for the United Arab Emirates more than 10 years ago, purchased the UAE state-owned television station Aldeer TV at the end of last year, and renamed it.

He was involved in the garment business after he first arrived in Dubai, earlier media reports said.

The TV station used to be owned by Dubai Media City and featured entertainment programs and broadcasts in Arabic and English via the Nilesat satellite, which also beams the signal of Qatar's Peninsula TV.

However, the station's audience share declined last year. Dubai Media City invited Wang to provide programs, TV series or films introducing Chinese scenes and news. Instead, Wang proposed to purchase the TV station.