Shanghai to establish UHD hub in Jing'an

Shanghai will set up an ultra-high-definition (UHD) audio-visual industry hub in Jing'an District, intending to position itself as a global leader in the UHD sector.

The new industry cluster is expected to reach a 200 billion yuan (US$27.5 billion) market by 2030, with plans to create over 10,000 hours of UHD content.

The ideas were presented on Wednesday at the Shanghai Ultra-High-Definition Audio-Visual Industry Cluster's opening in Jing'an.

To further this aim, Jing'an formed strategic alliances with the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization and the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism. The collaboration comprises 15 new initiatives aimed at fostering innovation, accelerating business growth, and improving the district's UHD environment.

Zhang Ying, director of the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization, emphasized the city's strengths in artificial intelligence and integrated circuits, which are critical for developing UHD technologies such as UHD chips and "AI+UHD" solutions. Shanghai also intends to promote developing technologies such as UHD smart cockpits, AR/VR glasses, and AI-powered PCs to boost future growth.

Additionally, the city intends to develop its UHD ecosystem by focusing on essential industries such as healthcare, cultural tourism, and industrial production.

Zhang explained that the goal is to build synergies between R&D, manufacturing, and content production, accelerating the adoption of UHD technology.

Zhong Xiaomin, director of the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism, said Shanghai is already a national leader in UHD technology, with fundamental innovations propelling the sector forward.

Jing'an has already established a strong foundation in areas such as chip design and content production, positioning it as a vital hub for immersive experiences and UHD content innovation, according to Zhong.

In September, the city inked the "China (Shanghai) UHD Pioneer Action Plan" with the National Radio and Television Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other major national government departments, ushering in a new era of rapid development for the UHD sector.

The "Action Plan for the Development of Shanghai's Ultra-High-Definition Audio-Visual Industry" was announced last month by the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism, and the Shanghai Media Group.

The initiative aims to create a 600-billion yuan UHD sector in Shanghai by 2030. It predicts 150 billion yuan for hardware, 150 billion yuan for UHD content, and 300 billion yuan for downstream applications that use UHD technology.