Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Office (NMO) and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, discussed with ZHU Yonglei, Vice Minister of the National Radio and Television Administration of People's Republic of China (NRTA), ways of strengthening cooperation mechanisms and sharing expertise in different media sectors.

During the visit of Yonglei and his delegation to the NMO's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Abdulla expressed his aspirations to enhance media coordination and cooperation between the two countries in a way that reflects their growing relationship.

He said, “This relationship, characterised by diversity and depth, is driven by a strong political will reflected in mutual visits between the leadership of the two countries and their commitment to deepening relations, cooperation, coordination, and the exchange of visions.”

The meeting comes within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, which is aimed at promoting sustainable development and prosperity.

Sheikh Abdulla commended the existing media cooperation between the countries and expressed his keenness to expand it further for mutual benefit.

The two parties discussed cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in the media sector and keeping up with the latest media technology and global changes.

They affirmed the common desire to establish a distinguished model of cooperation and media partnership that would contribute to enriching the media landscape in both countries.

The two officials deliberated on exchanging experiences and expertise in different media fields, improving communication between media organisations in both countries, ways to create collaborative media projects and initiatives, and exploring new opportunities to elevate the media industry in both countries, stemming from the strong UAE-China strategic relations and their leadership.

During the meeting, attended by Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Director-General of the NMO, and Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, both sides emphasised the importance of consolidating partnership between media institutions in both countries to support their shared media goals and enhance cooperation between each country's media landscape.

At the beginning of the meeting, Sheikh Abdulla Al Hamed welcomed the guest delegation and discussed the upcoming visit of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the People's Republic of China on Thursday, 30th May, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping of China.

The two sides praised their strong bilateral relations, which are witnessing continuous growth due to the keenness of both countries' leadership to elevate them in light of wide-ranging prospects for cooperation in various economic, media, political, cultural, scientific, and other sectors.

He also highlighted the UAE's laws in the media sector, which promote and motivate national talent to create Emirati content that boosts national values and identity among youth, aligning with the guidance of the wise leadership to advance the media industry, leveraging the UAE's strengths and competitive advantages to enhance its economic contribution.

The Chairman of NMO emphasised that the UAE is a leading global media hub, as it established an appealing platform and infrastructure for international media entities, including large multinational corporations, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and independent entities, to foster creativity and collaboration.

"In our media community, there are over 10,000 companies and more than 350,000 professionals involved in cultural and creative industries," he concluded.