AI Photo: VCG

Ambassadors and diplomats from Arab countries spoke highly of China's technology innovation capability, and said they hope to expand tech cooperation with Chinese companies after they experience cutting-edge technologies in Baidu, a Chinese tech giant. 

"We can elaborate more of this experience on highways and elsewhere. I'm sure that this is the future and we really have to adapt to it", said Milia Jabbour, ambassador of Lebanon to China.

During the visit, the diplomats were informed about the company's efforts in AI tech innovation during their visit to the Beijing headquarters on Tuesday. 

From fully driverless robotaxis to generative AI technologies, they experienced firsthand how these AI innovations are transforming human daily lives.

Today's visit is just the beginning, and we will further explore the possibility of cooperation with Baidu in the future, said Palestinian Ambassador to China Fariz Mehdawi.

This is the second visit organized by China for Arab diplomatic envoys in China after the China-Arab summit opened in December of 2022. 

They said it is a close experience of the technological innovation and corporate culture of major Chinese Internet companies, which will help the Arab world gain a deeper understanding of China's modern information technology achievements and expand bilateral cooperation in the field of scientific and technological innovation. 

Baidu announced plans to build the world's largest autonomous ride-hailing service area in 2023.

Additionally, the company revealed a series of new technology breakthroughs including an AI big model built for autonomous driving perception, high-definition autonomous driving maps, a closed-loop autonomous driving data system, and the successful end-to-end adaptation of AI chips for autonomous vehicles.

Wang Yunpeng, vice president of Baidu said that cooperation between Baidu and Arab countries are in the first stage but with great potential. It is hoped that through the visit, envoys will deepen their understanding of Chinese technology companies.

China is Arab states' biggest trading partner. In 2021, China's FDI stock in Arab states hit $23 billion, a 2.6 times increase over 10 years. The trade volume topped $330.3 billion, 1.5 times more than 10 years ago. In the first three quarters of 2022, China-Arab states trade reached $319.295 billion, up 35.28 percent year on year and close to the total of the whole year of 2021, according data from the Ministry of Commerce. 


Global Times