His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, visited the Huawei Research and Development Centre and Shanghai Media Group (SMG) in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.
Tour of Huawei Village
His Highness toured Huawei Village, which spans 2.2 million square metres and comprises over 100 buildings and laboratories, employing more than 30,000 staff. He observed the master plan of the village and its key facilities that support the company’s business strategy and product development. His Highness also noted the specifications of the buildings, constructed to the highest standards, and the wide range of amenities available to employees, including restaurants, cafés, recreational areas, rest zones, and convenient transport options within the village, including trains, buses, boats, and electric bikes.
Visit to Huawei R&D Centre
His Highness then visited the Huawei Research and Development Centre, reviewing its strategy and management approach, which directly impacts the quality of products delivered to companies and individuals. He familiarised himself with the centre’s research and development operations, advanced facilities, and specialised laboratories, which focus on creating technological solutions that support various vital sectors. The centre is one of Huawei’s largest R&D hubs globally, offering an integrated environment that combines scientific research with practical application.
His Highness explored the latest technologies, advanced devices, and digital infrastructure solutions serving the media sector, as well as smart city technologies, security systems, data storage, and artificial intelligence, all of which enhance service efficiency, quality, and sustainability.
He received a detailed briefing on the key research projects at the centre, Huawei’s role in developing modern communication technologies, smart systems, and integrated digital solutions, as well as the company’s efforts to invest in human talent and attract global expertise to support innovation.
Strengthening media and technology collaboration
During a meeting with Huawei representatives, His Highness emphasised the importance of learning from leading global experiences in research and development. He highlighted Sharjah’s commitment to keeping pace with rapid technological advancements and leveraging modern technology to develop the media sector, improve content quality, and enhance its competitiveness regionally and internationally, reinforcing Sharjah’s position as a hub for media creativity and purposeful content creation.
The meeting reviewed ways to strengthen collaboration between Sharjah’s media sector and Huawei’s R&D operations, utilising advanced technological solutions to develop media infrastructure, enhance broadcast and production systems, manage digital content efficiently, and leverage AI, cloud computing, and data analytics to support content creation. It also focused on equipping media professionals with innovative tools to improve performance quality, in line with global best practices.
His Highness also received a presentation on Huawei’s projects in the UAE, its collaborations with local companies over 24 years, and its services supporting the media sector globally, including film and television production, sports broadcasting, live transmission, cloud storage, and media archiving. Best practices in partnerships that have contributed to integrated media infrastructure based on 5G and AI technologies were also showcased.
At the conclusion of the visit, His Highness exchanged commemorative gifts with the Huawei R&D Centre representatives and posed for group photographs, expressing hopes for continued cooperation and strengthening future partnerships in innovation, technology, and media.
Visit to Shanghai Media Group
His Highness also visited Shanghai Media Group, one of China’s largest state-owned media organisations, which operates eight TV channels, eight radio stations, four magazines and newspapers, eleven paid digital channels, as well as studios equipped with the latest technology and digital production and broadcast centres that rely on intelligent content management systems.
He was briefed on SMG’s four main digital platforms: the first broadcasts television programmes, films, and series; the second manages radio broadcasting nationwide; the third enables users to follow the latest local and global news in real time; and the fourth monitors economic and financial operations, serving those interested in stock markets and investments. This reflects the diversity and integration of SMG’s media operations.
His Highness toured SMG’s studios, observing the latest technologies used in studio setups, broadcasting, and live transmission, enabling content delivery worldwide with high efficiency and quality, demonstrating the advanced media infrastructure.
He received detailed explanations on media and broadcast technologies, continuous content development initiatives, and specifications of outside broadcast vehicles used for major events, especially sports, such as the Olympic Games, which employ 4K high-definition broadcast and filming technology for precise, real-time coverage.
His Highness also witnessed the use of AI in sports coverage, including performance analysis and result determination in competitions like archery, where some sports federations rely on advanced television systems for highly accurate results. He learned about AI capabilities for translating news bulletins into multiple languages, including Arabic, for global broadcast, and reviewed systems and devices for media storage and archiving according to the latest standards, ensuring fast retrieval and data security.
Meetings and collaboration with SMG
Following the tour, His Highness met with Song Jiongming, Director-General of Shanghai Media Group, and other officials. He praised the advanced methods used in managing the group’s media operations, expressed his pleasure in being present, and discussed avenues for joint cooperation. His Highness stressed the importance of developing purposeful media content that promotes positive values and preserves cultural traditions, expressing hope for expanding the partnership to mutual benefit.
Representatives of SMG welcomed the Sharjah Media Council delegation, presenting a film showcasing the group’s diverse media content and advanced technological and human capabilities, and affirmed their willingness to cooperate with Sharjah in the media sector.
The meeting also included a presentation on the Sharjah Media City project, highlighting its facilities and infrastructure that support content creators and film producers, including the planned “Shams Studios,” which will be one of the region’s most advanced studios.
At the conclusion of the visit, His Highness and the Director-General of SMG exchanged commemorative plaques in recognition of their collaboration, taking group photographs.
Context and accompanying delegation
These visits aim to strengthen relations and collaboration with global technology and media organisations, gain insights into best practices in innovation, research, and technological development, and facilitate knowledge exchange and strategic partnerships to support Sharjah’s media sector.
Accompanying His Highness were Mohamed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council; Rashid Abdullah Al Obad, Director General of the Sharjah Media City (Shams); Salem Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; Alia Bu Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; and Hessa Abdullah Al Hammadi, Assistant Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council.
