GUIYANG, China, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from CNS:
In the mountains of southwest China's Guizhou Province, industries once unlikely to be associated with a remote inland region are finding their way into global markets.
In Jiangkou County, Tongren, stands what local authorities describe as the world's largest single-site matcha refining facility. Fully automated production lines process the finely ground green tea for consumers at home and abroad.
According to local figures, one in every five cups of matcha consumed worldwide is produced in Tongren. The city's matcha products are exported to more than 50 countries and regions, with the industry generating an output value of 750 million yuan (US$105 million).
For Mauro, a young visitor from Brazil, the industry raised a broader question: how can globally competitive production create opportunities for rural communities?
Tongren's matcha industry works with 73 upstream partner companies and around 13,300 hectares of tea plantations. Financial and technical support for growers, alongside links between market demand and production, helps connect local farmers with a wider supply chain.
Matcha is not the only Guizhou product reaching international markets. In Jinping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, local industry figures suggest that one in every 10 shuttlecocks in circulation worldwide is made there. Production is supported by a supply chain extending from goose farming and feather sorting to intelligent manufacturing.
"I hadn't realised that some of the key materials used in these vehicles come from Guizhou," said Thai visitor Nim Jiratchaya, whose family owns a Chinese electric vehicle. Guizhou developed an advanced functional materials industry serving sectors including electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Digitalization is also changing traditional manufacturing. Guizhou Tyre's intelligent plant was the first in China's tyre industry to join the World Economic Forum's Global Lighthouse Network, which recognizes factories deploying advanced technologies at scale. The facility also uses photovoltaic power, purchased renewable electricity, and waste-heat recovery to reduce emissions.
Infrastructure played another role in connecting the mountainous province with wider markets. Nearly half of the world's 100 highest bridges are located in Guizhou, helping overcome terrain that has long complicated transport and economic connectivity.
For the visiting Gen Z group, the journey offered a view of China beyond its major cities and coastal manufacturing centres. Tea, badminton equipment, advanced materials, and tyres illustrate how specialised manufacturing, infrastructure investment, and local resources are connecting communities in China's mountainous southwest with national and global markets.
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Gen Z Visitors Explore Guizhou's Path to Global Markets
HONG KONG, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global technology company Tencent, today announced its collaboration with Alsaif Gallery, one of Saudi Arabia's leading home appliance and furniture retailers, to support the company's enterprise AI transformation journey. Leveraging Tencent Cloud's local cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities in Saudi Arabia, Alsaif Gallery has deployed a self-developed enterprise AI agent platform designed to enhance operational efficiency, streamline decision-making, and support more intelligent customer experiences across its omnichannel business.
As enterprises across Saudi Arabia increasingly explore practical applications of AI, organizations are seeking secure, scalable, and compliant cloud foundations that can support innovation at scale. As a top-three home appliance and furniture retailer with a strong omnichannel presence in Saudi Arabia, Alsaif Gallery has been advancing its digital transformation strategy to enhance both operational efficiency and customer experience. To accelerate the adoption of AI across its business while meeting requirements for performance, cost efficiency, and data compliance, the company selected Tencent Cloud as its cloud and AI technology partner.
Building a Reliable Foundation for Enterprise AI
Tencent Cloud provides Alsaif Gallery with stable and highly cost-effective cloud services hosted in its local cloud infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, enabling the retailer to seamlessly deploy its self-developed enterprise AI agent. By leveraging Tencent Cloud's local infrastructure, Alsaif Gallery benefits from reduced latency, enhanced user experience, and support for data localization requirements in compliance with Saudi Arabia's local regulations.
Beyond cloud infrastructure, Tencent Cloud delivers a comprehensive portfolio spanning AI development platforms, AI APIs, and infrastructure services across computing, storage, networking, and databases. Combined with its broader ecosystem capabilities and dedicated technical support, Tencent Cloud helps organizations accelerate the deployment and scaling of enterprise AI applications.
Powering AI-Driven Business Transformation
The AI agent supports a range of business scenarios across both internal management operations and customer-facing services, helping enhance operational efficiency and deliver more intelligent, personalized customer experiences across Alsaif Gallery's omnichannel business.
Following the successful deployment of its AI platform, Alsaif Gallery has deepened its collaboration with Tencent Cloud across AI, cloud services, and software services to further advance its business.
Rachel Xie, General Manager of Tencent Cloud MENA, Operations, Channel Development and Marketing of Tencent Cloud International, said: "Saudi Arabia is rapidly embracing AI and digital transformation, and enterprises are looking for trusted technology partners that can provide reliable infrastructure, enterprise-ready AI capabilities, and strong local support. We are pleased to support Alsaif Gallery with our local cloud infrastructure, AI capabilities, and comprehensive ecosystem, helping accelerate its AI adoption journey and explore practical AI applications that can deliver meaningful business value. We look forward to supporting more organizations across the Kingdom as they unlock the value of AI."
Khaled Atif, IT Director of Alsaif Gallery, said: "Our goal was to make AI a practical tool that delivers value across the business. With Tencent Cloud's local infrastructure and support, we have successfully deployed our enterprise AI platform to support smarter business operations and more personalized customer experiences. This has enabled us to accelerate innovation while creating greater value for both our customers and employees."
The collaboration highlights Tencent Cloud's growing commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's digital economy and AI ambitions. Following the launch of its first cloud region in the Kingdom, Tencent Cloud continues to expand its local cloud and AI capabilities to help organizations accelerate innovation while meeting evolving business and compliance requirements. Through partnerships with enterprises such as Alsaif Gallery, Tencent Cloud remains committed to supporting Saudi Arabia's digital transformation and Vision 2030 goals.
About Tencent Cloud
Tencent Cloud, one of the world's leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation.
About Alsaif Gallery
Alsaif Gallery is a leading Saudi retailer of home appliances and kitchenware, and a leading Saudi joint stock company in the retail sector. Established in 1993 and listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) in 2022, the company has a strong retail presence across Saudi Arabia, as well as in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, alongside a modern e-commerce platform. The company is also highly advanced in its adoption of IT and digital technology, and is known for its wide variety, trusted quality, and innovative approach to home retail.
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Tencent Cloud Powers Alsaif Gallery's Enterprise AI Transformation in Saudi Arabia
