Representatives of Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Tencent shake hands after signing a cooperation agreement in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on June 28. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Tencent, a leading Chinese internet company, signed a cooperation agreement in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on June 28, to use advanced technology to develop the auto industry.
Dongfeng Motor Corporation is one of China's largest auto groups and is based in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (WHDZ) in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province.
Attendees of the signing ceremony included Zhu Yanfeng, chairman of Dongfeng Motor, Ma Huateng, CEO of Tencent, You Zheng, deputy general manager of Dongfeng Motor, and Zhong Xiangping, vice-president of Tencent.
According to the agreement, the two companies will cooperate in seven areas –– intelligently-connected vehicles, automobile safety, automatic drive, smart travel, smart logistics, technological innovation, and digital transformation. They will also establish an industrial fund to broaden cooperation.
The two sides also announced that they will establish an innovation laboratory, which will focus on research of cutting-edge technology for the automobile sector.
Addressing the ceremony, Zhu Yanfeng said that Dongfeng is currently promoting industrial transformation as well as technological and business model innovation.
Tencent leads the country's internet industry and is strong in areas such as smart travel and big data, so hopefully the two companies can spearhead the digital transformation of the auto sector, said Zhu.
Ma Huateng said at the ceremony that Tencent hoped to help develop the auto sector using the internet, AI, cloud computing, big data, 5G, and other forms of technology so as to improve travel services.
The country is currently encouraging cooperation and the integrative development of the internet and automobile industries, and the cooperation between Dongfeng and Tencent is a result of this move.
Zhu Yanfeng (L), chairman of Dongfeng Motor, and Ma Huateng, CEO of Tencent, unveil an innovation laboratory jointly established by the two companies in Shenzhen on June 28. [Photo provided to China Daily]
You Zheng, deputy general manager of Dongfeng Motor, speaks at the signing ceremony in Shenzhen on June 28. [Photo/Xinhua]
