Putuo to boost its digital economy with JD agreement

Putuo District has signed an agreement with JD Cloud & AI to help develop the downtown district into a digital economy leader in the Yangtze River Delta region.

JD Cloud & AI, under Internet giant JD.com, will establish its online sellers' services and network operations at a digital economy industrial center in Putuo.

The deep cooperation between Putuo and JD will focus on cross-border e-ecommerce, the digital economy and scientific innovation, said Wei Jing, deputy director of Putuo. The newly established center of JD is expected to empower the four key industries of Putuo — intelligent software, R&D services, fintech and life health, Wei said.

Putuo has listed the digital economy as the major engine to drive the development of the region in the wake of the national and citywide campaign to boost the internet-plus and digital economies.

E-commerce, online shopping and Internet services have played key roles in the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic has been both a challenge and opportunity for the new sectors, said Jiang Dongdong, director of Putuo.

JD has developed advanced technologies and resource advantages on mega-scale artificial intelligence computing, smart delivery and urban logistics as well as other new infrastructure that Putuo requires, Jiang said.

He noted the two key projects in Putuo, the China-Israel Innovation Hub and International Innovation Center of Tsinghua University Shanghai, are expected to become the core engine to drive the district's digital economy development.

Putuo and JD signed an initial cooperation agreement on March 31. Both sides plan to carry out deep cooperation on JD's cloud digital economy regional headquarters, the smart manufacturing and digital logistic industry park as well as the Asia No. 1 logistic projects.