Cloud firms expand overseas footprint

Chinese cloud computing companies have accelerated steps to expand their presence in overseas markets and build digital infrastructure such as data centers, as an increasing number of businesses are leveraging artificial intelligence technology and cloud services to drive digital transformation and upgrades.

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group, said it will speed up the construction of a global cloud computing network covering China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.

The company recently announced a significant expansion in Southeast Asia, including the opening of its third data center in Malaysia on July 1 and plans for a second data center in the Philippines slated for October, to address growing demand for AI and cloud services. With these expansions, Alibaba Cloud will increase its global network to 90 availability zones across 29 regions.