Macao, the city famous for its casinos, is eyeing frontier technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing to digitalize its various industries and transform itself into a smart city.

Around 300 multinational corporations, unicorn companies and start-ups, including Chinese tech giants like Tencent and Huawei, gathered in the city for the first BEYOND International Technology Innovation Expo held from Thursday to Saturday. The latest tech products and solutions have been showcased and cooperation agreements were signed during the event.

Tencent helped digitalize Macao's water supply business

At the booth of Tencent, the company showcased how its smart apps can help make government services and businesses more efficient.

For example, the Macao Water Supply Company Ltd. has joined hands with Tencent, using the latter's WeCom app to build a smart system that connects the company's over 270 employees across Macao with its four water plants and a network of water pipes over 700 km long in total.

The system enables the water authority to respond faster to consumer requests and helps streamline the overall workflow.

SenseTime partners with local firms for smart city projects

SenseTime, a leading AI software company from the Chinese mainland, signed agreements with partners in Macao to apply its technologies to building smart hotels, smart power grids, smart buildings and smart healthcare in Macao.

SenseTime said it opened a Macao office to showcase its commitment to the city, South China Morning Post reported.

Huawei teams up with Macao's telecom operator for smart city infrastructure 

Eyeing Huawei's 5G, cloud computing and big data technologies, Macao Telecommunication Company (MTC), the city's major telecom operator, announced a deal with the Chinese telecom giant to work on Macao's smart city infrastructure.

MTC also unveiled the Cloud Network Convergence development blueprint of "Digital Macao" for the development of smart transportation in the city.

Other high techs exhibited at the expo

Wang Xiaoguang, vice president of the China State Construction International Holdings Ltd., said the company hoped to share its achievements in architectural science and technology accumulated over the four decades of operations in Macao, including frontier technologies of tunnel construction applied to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the world's longest cross-sea bridge.

The company said its latest building technologies and products exhibited in the expo all comply with China's overarching targets to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

ADA Space, a company specializing in AI satellite internet technologies, displayed their intelligent recharging platform that can accurately navigate electric vehicles to parking space with charging facilities, therefore efficiently separating fuel-powered and electricity-powered vehicles in large urban complexes.

According to auditing company Deloitte, Chinese cities will continue to develop towards being digital, green, convenient and refined in the coming years.

"We hope to serve as a platform for going beyond traditions, science and technology, and boundaries to prospect the future and link innovations," said Jason Ho, co-founder of the expo. 

(With input from Xinhua)