Tencent Signs Strategic Agreement with Chongqing Yongchuan Government at Inaugural Smart China Expo, Accelerating Western China's Digital Transformation

Chongqing, August 2019 — The first Smart China Expo (智博会), held under the theme "Intelligence: Empowering the Economy, Enriching Life," officially opened in Chongqing, marking a watershed moment for China's intelligent industry landscape. As the largest and most prestigious intelligent industry event in western China, the Expo drew global technology leaders, government officials, and industry pioneers to explore the future of artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and the digital economy.

At the centerpiece signing ceremony for Yongchuan District, Chongqing, Zhang Li, representing Tencent Technology, formally signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Yongchuan District People's Government. This agreement establishes a comprehensive partnership spanning smart city infrastructure, digital governance, industrial internet, and AI-powered innovation — cementing Tencent's commitment to driving high-quality digital development across western China.

🤝 A High-Profile Multi-Party Signing The Yongchuan signing ceremony brought together an impressive roster of institutional partners, each contributing unique capabilities to the district's intelligent industry ambitions:

Signing Party Focus Area Tencent Technology (rep. Zhang Li) Smart city, digital governance, AI ecosystem China Aerospace Systems Engineering Institute Intelligent systems & aerospace tech applications Chongqing Chang'an Minsheng Logistics Smart logistics & supply chain digitalization China Post Group – Yongchuan Branch Postal industry digital transformation Together, these partnerships signal a coordinated push to transform Yongchuan into a world-class intelligent industry hub in the heart of western China.

🌐 Tencent's Strategic Vision for Yongchuan Leveraging its industry-leading capabilities in cloud computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital content ecosystems, Tencent's collaboration with Yongchuan will focus on four strategic pillars:

Smart City Infrastructure — Deploying urban intelligence solutions including city brain platforms, smart transportation networks, and digital healthcare systems Digital Government Services — Streamlining public administration and delivering citizen-centric digital experiences through next-generation e-government platforms Industrial Internet Ecosystem — Empowering Yongchuan's traditional industries to undergo comprehensive digital, networked, and intelligent transformation Talent Development & Innovation — Co-building a local technology talent pipeline and fostering a vibrant startup and innovation ecosystem Zhang Li emphasized at the signing that Tencent will uphold its core philosophy of "Tech for Good", deploying its full platform strengths to co-create a smarter, more prosperous Yongchuan alongside local government partners.

📍 Why Yongchuan — and Why Now Yongchuan District has emerged as one of Chongqing's most dynamic industrial zones, with established strengths in intelligent connected vehicles (ICV), vocational education, and modern agriculture. By attracting Tencent and other leading technology enterprises, Yongchuan is strategically positioning itself as a digital economy demonstration zone for western China — accelerating industrial upgrading and building a sustainable foundation for long-term smart city development.

The inaugural Smart China Expo served as the perfect launchpad for this vision. With national-level policy support and Chongqing's growing status as a national new-generation AI innovation hub, the timing of this partnership could not be more strategic.

🚀 A Blueprint for Tech-Government Collaboration The Tencent–Yongchuan partnership represents more than a bilateral agreement — it is a model for public-private collaboration in China's digital transformation era. As the country accelerates its push toward a Digital China (数字中国) and AI-driven economy, partnerships like this one demonstrate how technology giants and local governments can align resources, expertise, and ambition to deliver tangible, lasting impact.

The success of the inaugural Smart China Expo and the Yongchuan signing ceremony marks a bold and confident stride by Chongqing toward embracing next-generation artificial intelligence and building a modern, intelligent industrial ecosystem — with Tencent proudly standing at the forefront of that journey.