China's second-largest e-commerce player JD will invest more than 20 billion yuan ($3.12 billion) in Northeast China, comprising Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces, in the next three years, to promote local industrial upgrades, increase employment opportunities and inject technological innovation impetus.

The company inked a strategic partnership agreement with agricultural company Beidahuang Group, in a move to further strengthen cooperation with Heilongjiang. The partners will work together closely in the fields of e-commerce, cloud computing, big data, logistics, finance and tourism.

"We are confident in the economic revitalization of Northeast China, and plan to invest more than 20 billion yuan in the next three years," said Liu Qiangdong, founder and CEO of JD.

"We have invested heavily in logistics infrastructure, paying special attention to selling local agricultural products to other provinces at a good price," Liu said when he met with the provincial governor of Heilongjiang.

JD said it will collaborate with Beidahuang General Aviation Co in unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. With the aid of the latter's aircraft, airport, human resources and other advantages, the two sides will carry out aviation logistics system pilot projects, and build a multilevel transport network that covers the entire province of Heilongjiang.

Zhaodong airport will serve as the operation base for JD's drones in the province. The two sides will cooperate in developing agricultural drones and participate in the whole process of farm production management, to encourage the growth of high-quality agricultural products by using cutting-edge technologies.

The company's projects with Jilin province cover modern logistics, data services, entrepreneurship and innovation, medicine and finance. The parties will actively introduce local enterprises, time-honored brands and famous trademarks onto JD's online shopping platform.

JD said it will create exclusive business models and solutions for industrial enterprises in the province, and promote e-commerce procurement of industrial products. It will also set up a regional procurement center for modern goods, introducing high-quality products with local features to the whole country.

In addition, JD will continue to invest in the e-commerce business and settlement center in Liaoning over the next three years, which will provide 9,000 jobs upon the completion of the project. The e-commerce giant has achieved full distribution network coverage in Liaoning, and seven major cities in the province have established cold chain delivery networks.

So far, JD has signed rural e-commerce and targeted poverty alleviation cooperation agreements with the Poverty Alleviation Office of Heilongjiang as well as eight counties and cities. Its online shopping platform has sold soybean oil, milk powder, rice, ginseng, pears, strawberries, honey and other agricultural products from Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning to consumers across the country.

JD said the development of the internet and e-commerce sectors provides a chance to rejuvenate Northeast China. With the continuous strengthening of investment and cooperation in this region by leading enterprises such as JD, Northeast China can be revitalized.

The State Council, China's Cabinet, first put forward the Revitalization of Northeast China strategy in 2003, and formed a comprehensive plan for the old industrial region in 2016. The initiative aims to speed up the development of the modern agriculture sector and improve infrastructure by developing e-commerce, supply chain and internet finance.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 01/25/2018 page18)