Huawei's Director of the Board and President of the Institute of Strategic Research, William Xu, called upon European leaders to enhance the region's leadership in innovation through four initiatives. Speaking at Huawei's European Innovation Day 2019 held in Paris, he called for a focus on basic research; deployment of the latest ICT technologies to keep the region ahead of its competitors and enhance its competitiveness; focus on digital inclusion and sustainable development; and developing an inclusive innovation ecosystem.
"Europe has long been one of the world's foremost innovation hubs. To continue holding its own in an increasingly competitive global market, we believe stakeholders across the region need to unite to establish some key initiatives," said Mr Xu.
1. Innovation 2.0: Huawei and Europe should enhance collaboration in the research of basic technology and basic theories.
"Huawei has been operating in Europe for many years. The idea of 'In Europe, For Europe' has always guided us as we strive to integrate into and contribute to Europe. We focus on leading technologies to create value for customers and help them achieve business success. Over the last 30 years, Huawei has invested intensively to make technological breakthroughs. We have focused on innovation in engineering, technology, and solutions to address customer needs. But as we move into what we call Innovation 2.0, we will focus on theoretical breakthroughs and technological inventions based on our vision for the future. We want to closely work with researchers and industries across Europe to jointly research and explore development trends, and increase our investments in talent training and collaboration with universities," stated William Xu.
2. Information and communications technology (ICT) will enable European industries to secure global competitiveness.
Huawei is working with European carriers to deploy high-speed, low-latency 5G networks. 5G and other advanced technologies will improve the connectivity across Europe and empower the digital transformation of European industries. "5G networks, new-generation chips, and new data processing software will accelerate digital transformation. AI, IoT, and robots will stimulate digital innovation over the next five years. 5G is significantly impacting industries such as media, healthcare, energy, transportation, the automotive industry, logistics, and manufacturing," said François Barrault, Chairman of IDATE DigiWorld.
3. We need to enhance digital inclusion and promote sustainable development in Europe.
Through innovations in digital technology, Huawei is committed to providing more people with convenient access to medical resources, providing the disadvantaged with educational opportunities, promoting equal access to digital resources, helping everyone benefit from technology, and protecting the environment. Victoria Pueyo, co-founder of DIVE Medical, shared her company's highly successful collaboration with Huawei during the event. With the support of Huawei's AI technology, doctors can quickly and easily evaluate children's visual functions and identify any visual impairments. The company's European team is currently working with Asian and American researchers to conduct more in-depth research, and Huawei calls on others to join us in using technology for the benefit of everyone.
4. An innovation ecosystem should be built by uniting all stakeholders.
Huawei respects and supports the EU's digital sovereignty strategy. Huawei is committed to providing innovation platforms and resources to European companies by opening up capabilities in AI, intelligent computing systems, and deep learning systems. Huawei also intends to provide a more powerful platform for industry cooperation through OpenLabs. Huawei calls upon regulators, researchers, and entrepreneurs to jointly promote the development of an innovation ecosystem in Europe, and encourages young students to participate in technology innovation.
This year's innovation day was held in Paris, with over 400 participants in attendance, including representatives from the media, governments, think tanks, and analysts, as well as Huawei's partners. The event aimed to explore opportunities for collaboration in basic research and promote European digital sovereignty. It also featured discussions on how technology will promote cultural prosperity, how 5G will empower various industries, how AI applications help enhance social wellness, and women's leadership in the technology domain.
This communication was first published 4 November 2019 by Huawei.
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