Energy advantages, as well as preferential policies by the local government, have boosted Guizhou's development of industrial clusters such as big data, advanced manufacturing, and digital technology with investment from multinational companies into this southwestern region of China, said government officials and multinational executives at a meeting on Tuesday.

"Guizhou is well-known for its digital economy and big data industry, as its energy advantages, talents, government subsidies as well as improving business environment attract large amount of foreign investment," said Xie Qiang, deputy director of Investment Promotion Bureau of Guizhou province, at the 2021 Guizhou International Fair for Investment and Trade Dialogue with leading multinational enterprises held in Beijing on Dec 28.

More than 50 executives of Fortune 500 companies, as well as representatives of well-known enterprises and organizations attended the meeting, sharing their thoughts in the innovation and application of digital technology, as well as challenges and opportunities brought by the "dual carbon" goals, and how Guizhou can further play its role with "digital" as one of its name cards.

Xu Zhonghua, vice-president of TotalEnergies R&D for Asia, said digitalization could support energy transformation as well as carbon neutrality.

Shang Rong, vice-president of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Microsoft, believes digital technology would inject innovative momentum to the sustainable growth of digital economy.

"Leveraging the potential of digital technology, tailor-made digital transformation strategies, and cultivating digital and innovative talents could build a low-carbon, efficient and sustainable future," she said.

Digitalization can promote high-quality development of the society, said Zhang Qinhong, vice-president of SAP China, at the meeting. He added that Guizhou's digitalization and technology industry has improved significantly in recent years.

Ted Fu, general manger of SenseTime Beijing Co Ltd, said Artificial intelligence is the engine of future urban construction.

"AI can be applied in fields such as urban governance, public services, smart healthcare, smart education, traffic management, smart culture and tourism, as well as intelligent driving."

Ma Lei, director of Guizhou Provincial Department of Commerce, and director of Investment Promotion Bureau of Guizhou province, welcomed more multinational companies to invest in Guizhou, and build it the center of digital technology.

The event, organized by the Investment Promotion Bureau of Guizhou province and Guizhou Provincial Department of Commerce, was held by the Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation as well as the Beijing Chaoyang Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment.