Datong teams up with e-commerce giant JD for high tech

Datong in North China's Shanxi province, will cooperate with China's e-commerce giant JD on high-end equipment manufacturing, artificial intelligence and urban computing, according to a partnership agreement signed in Beijing on May 25.

The partnership is a move by Datong to link with large enterprises, top universities and institutes in order to transform itself from a coal-reliant city into an innovative hub.

The two sides will promote emerging industries, such as cloud computing, big data, and advanced manufacturing, and integrate the internet with traditional industries including tourism, agriculture, finance and medicine.

JD will advance construction of cloud computing and big data industrial bases, modern trade and logistics bases, e-commerce operations and account settlement centers, and will support robot manufacturing in Datong. The investment is expected to exceed 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion).

JD Cloud, a platform offering cloud computing services under JD's management, will soon set up a self-supporting company in the Datong Economic Development Zone to provide government and companies in Shanxi and nearby regions with safe and convenient cloud computing and big data services.

Modern agriculture applications, such as culture and tourism and farm produce industrial innovation demonstration centers integrated with the internet will be jointly built.

The all-round collaboration will further integrate the resources of Datong in environment, location and industry with those of the world's top 500 internet company in internet plus.

Also, Datong and JD will develop a professional cultivation system for emerging industries to boost the city's innovation.

A brand release conference for Datong quality farm produce was held after the partnership signing ceremony. Taking advantage of JD Cloud's resources in farm produce e-marketing and market channels will help Datong spread its local quality farm produce beyond Shanxi province.