China Daily and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a global media cloud and develop a new tech lab, Sept 21, 2016. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China Daily, the country's leading English-language newspaper, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft on Wednesday to further its digital integration and enhance its capability to provide more targeted and more valuable multimedia products to its global audience.

To promote cloud computing and big data technological innovation and application in the area of media integration, China Daily and Microsoft will build a global media cloud and develop a new tech lab.

Wang Hao, deputy editor-in-chief of the national newspaper, said that in the era of media integration, China Daily needs to incorporate cutting-edge technologies, platforms, channels into its own innovation to keep itself strong.

Shen Yuanqing, chief operation officer of Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group, said that the media industry is undergoing a digital transformation and Microsoft, which aims to help industry players succeed in this transformation, will provide a custom-built media integration solution to China Daily, relying on its Azure cloud service, big data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies.

Microsoft's Sandy Gupta said big data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies from the cloud will facilitate China Daily's information acquisition and help it more accurately visualize its readers.

China Daily, which has a global audience of 47 million, is one of the highest cited media organizations of the country.