His Excellency Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, along with the BRIDGE delegation, embarked on a strategic visit to ChinaJoy 2025, China’s premier event in the digital entertainment industry.
The visit was part of the preparatory tour for the BRIDGE Summit 2025 — the largest global platform uniting media, cultural, and creative content creators, leaders, and decision-makers to transform how the world communicates. Set to take place in Abu Dhabi from 8–10 December 2025, the Summit aims to catalyse cross-sectoral collaboration.
The ChinaJoy visit focused on exploring cutting-edge developments in gaming, AI, and technology, while identifying new opportunities for collaboration between the UAE and China’s rapidly evolving creative sectors.
During the visit, the delegation had a friendly exchange with Mr. Han Zhihai, founder of Howell Expo Co., Ltd. (the organizer of ChinaJoy) and founder of ChinaJoy. Under his leadership, through 20 years of continuous development, ChinaJoy has now grown into a leading exhibition in the global digital entertainment industry.
A new era of UAE-China collaboration in gaming and digital innovation
At ChinaJoy 2025, H.E. Al Hamed, along with the BRIDGE delegation, toured cutting-edge displays showcasing the latest in mobile gaming, immersive tech, AI-driven platforms, and smart mobility solutions. OnePlus, a leading smartphone brand under OPPO, demonstrated gaming-optimized devices featuring advanced cooling systems and high-refresh-rate displays. Douyin, China’s answer to TikTok, showcased its innovative AI tools that empower gaming influencers, allowing real-time content creation and viral gaming campaigns. The visit also featured BYD, a global electric vehicle leader, highlighting their smart cockpit systems and integrated gaming platforms, demonstrating how the future of smart mobility intertwines with entertainment and tech. Additionally, CreateAI provided insights into the next frontier of generative AI for virtual avatars and NPCs, offering a glimpse into the evolving metaverse.
His Excellency Abdulla Al Hamed affirmed the pivotal role of advanced digital technologies in reshaping the entertainment and gaming industries, noting that ChinaJoy is one of the world’s leading platforms showcasing the latest AI innovations driving transformation in the sector. He stressed that artificial intelligence now represents the primary driving force behind the industry’s growth and its elevation to new horizons.
His Excellency also highlighted the importance of building strategic partnerships with major global leaders in the technology and digital entertainment sectors to enhance knowledge exchange and adopt the latest smart solutions that enrich user experience and drive innovation across the region.
As part of the ongoing BRIDGE initiative, the UAE seeks to position itself as a central player in this emerging ecosystem. The BRIDGE 2025 Summit in Abu Dhabi will bring together global leaders in media, gaming, technology, and digital entertainment to explore transformative opportunities, investments and furthering the collaboration between the UAE, China, and the global gaming community. By supporting these key sectors, BRIDGE aims to strengthen its role as a platform for creating actionable pathways that will reshape the future of digital content and communication on a global scale.
