Saudi Arabia, China Strengthen Strategic Partnership in Digital Economy

The agreement was signed by Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawaha and the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Zhigang
The agreement was signed by Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawaha and the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Zhigang
TT

Saudi Arabia, China Strengthen Strategic Partnership in Digital Economy

The agreement was signed by Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawaha and the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Zhigang
The agreement was signed by Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawaha and the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Zhigang

Saudi Arabia has signed a strategic partnership with China for cooperation on the digital economy.

The agreement was signed by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Sawaha and the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Zhigang, as part of the current official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Kingdom.

The partnership develops a framework for cooperation between the two countries, covering the fields of digital economy, communications and information technology, and promoting research and innovation on emerging technologies, in addition to improving aspects of communications infrastructure, and enabling the growth of digital entrepreneurship through emerging business models such as financial technology and e-commerce.

It also covers cooperation on artificial intelligence, advanced computing and quantum information technology, in addition to robots and smart equipment, and work to develop their technologies and applications for industrial and commercial purposes.

Moreover, this partnership memorandum aims at enhancing the two friendly countries' cooperation in the fields of the modern generation of mobile communications technology and emerging technologies.

Within the framework of this partnership, the two sides will also cooperate in the field of digital technology applications and radio frequency spectrum management, in addition to their cooperation in developing and building local capabilities in communication and data centers, developing digital platforms and cloud computing services, and expanding submarine cable projects.

Saudi Arabia and China will implement the terms of their partnership by exchanging information and expertise, activating visits between experts and specialists from both sides, and organizing conferences, seminars and working sessions.



Google to Open Second Data Center in Latin America, to Invest Over $850 Mln 

The president of Google Cloud for Latin America, Eduardo Lopez, participates in the inauguration of the Google Data Center works, on the premises of the Science Park, in Canelones, Uruguay 29 August 2024. (EPA)
The president of Google Cloud for Latin America, Eduardo Lopez, participates in the inauguration of the Google Data Center works, on the premises of the Science Park, in Canelones, Uruguay 29 August 2024. (EPA)
TT

Google to Open Second Data Center in Latin America, to Invest Over $850 Mln 

The president of Google Cloud for Latin America, Eduardo Lopez, participates in the inauguration of the Google Data Center works, on the premises of the Science Park, in Canelones, Uruguay 29 August 2024. (EPA)
The president of Google Cloud for Latin America, Eduardo Lopez, participates in the inauguration of the Google Data Center works, on the premises of the Science Park, in Canelones, Uruguay 29 August 2024. (EPA)

Alphabet's Google said on Thursday it will open its second data center in Latin America in the Uruguayan city of Canelones and invest more than $850 million in it.

Google opened its first data center in Latin America in Quilicura, which is near Santiago, the capital city of Chile, in 2015. It invested an initial amount of $150 million in the data center and spent an additional $140 million in 2018 for expansion.

"We hope our new data center in Canelones will be a significant contribution to the professional and technological development of Uruguay and the entire region," Google said in a blog post.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Google is considering building a "hyperscale" data center close to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and that the center would be ready in 2027.

In April, Google announced a $3 billion investment to set up a data center campus in Indiana and expand sites in Virginia. Google also said in May that it will invest $2 billion in Malaysia to develop its first data center and Google Cloud region in the country.