A senior government delegation led by His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), has concluded an official visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou to strengthen municipal ties through engagements, site visits, and technology demonstrations with leading government, academic, and industry representatives.
He was accompanied by His Excellency Hamad Hareb AlMuhairi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority (ADHA), His Excellency Eng Maysarah Mahmoud Eid, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre (ADPIC), and His Excellency Rashed Musabbeh Al Manei, Director General of Al Ain City Municipality.
During the trip, His Excellency Al Shorafa met with His Excellency Zhang Xiaohong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai to discuss strategic municipal cooperation and future priorities, as well as highlight each city’s urban planning innovations.
His Excellency Al Shorafa said: “This visit has strengthened our resolve to deliver urban environments that elevate daily life, grounded in public service and informed by constructive collaboration. Through meetings and on‑site visits in Shanghai and Hangzhou, we gained key insights that will guide our next steps in Abu Dhabi, further advancing connected neighbourhoods, responsive services, and civic spaces that honour our heritage while embracing innovation.”
In Shanghai, a technical workshop with leading design and consulting group, Tongji Architectural Design Group and Tongji University focused on exploring integrated transport, landscape and infrastructure design models. This was complemented by tours of The Bund and the Rockbund, Shanghai’s historic waterfront and its revitalised heritage district respectively, to study heritage continuation, which was followed by an assessment of a similar development at Shanghai’s Yangpu Riverside.
The delegation then explored modular housing systems with Q‑Home, a leading manufacturer specialising in industrialised building solutions, as well as the application of AI technology in energy storage at the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Centre.
They were also given the opportunity to discover the latest advanced construction technologies including 3D printing for bridges, infrastructure, and public facilities with Zevo Technology, whose systems use over 60 per cent recycled materials and integrate digital modelling with on-site automated printing.
The Abu Dhabi officials then witnessed a demonstration of Rechsand Technology Group’s Sponge City Rainwater Purification and Reuse Programme at the Shanghai World Expo China Pavilion, which showcased advanced materials utilising desert sand and porous technologies to support sustainable development.
In Hangzhou, a design session with 100architects covered placemaking, street activations, and youth-centric public space design. Afterwards, they visited the Hangzhou City Planning Exhibition Hall to observe immersive models and AI-driven urban planning simulations demonstrating the city’s approach to infrastructure development, land-use optimisation, and adaptive urban regeneration that integrates heritage areas with new, smart districts.
