Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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BANGKOK (June 7): Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is pouring US$81 million (approximately RM321.6 million) into Southeast Asia (SEA) over the next three years, to enable cloud developers, build OpenLabs, and cultivate information and communications technology (ICT) talent in the region.

The bulk of the sum — US$50 million or RM198.5 million — goes into its cloud developer programme, where Huawei will not only provide guidance to local developers in a special competition, but also sponsor those who innovate on Huawei Cloud with awards of up to US$150,000.

Huawei's SEA president James Wu shared that some US$23 million or RM91.3 million will be earmarked for the building of OpenLabs, to enable developers and partners jointly innovate by utilising Huawei's platform and capabilities.

The balance of US$8 million or RM31.8 million will go to the development of ICT talent, which include infrastructure construction, telecommunication technical curriculum, joint delivery operation and ICT competence framework.

"Through application programming interfaces (APIs) and development platforms, we will open up our capabilities to our development partners in the region," said Wu, who oversees Thailand, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Hong Kong, and Macau.

He said the plan — dubbed the Huawei Developer Enablement Plan — aims to support digital economy and ecosystem building, by providing an opportunity for developers to utilise Huawei's ICT capabilities and experience to create targeted solutions for industry digitisation and to grow their own business.

Wu was speaking at the fourth edition of the annual Huawei Asia-Pacific Innovation Day themed Innovating for a Digital Asia-Pacific held here yesterday.

To date, Huawei has 16 OpenLabs worldwide.

Its addition here in Bangkok was inaugurated a year ago to offer one-stop ICT infrastructure support for enterprises, with a total investment cost of US$15 million (approximately RM60 million).

The ICT infrastructure and smart devices provider said it is now aiming to unveil its next OpenLab in Delhi, India, this August.

This OpenLab, along with the one in Bangkok, will serve as open innovation platforms where Huawei joins forces with local partners to develop industry solutions not just in the countries involved, but also for the region.

Huawei's deputy president of corporate communication Joe Kelly said at a press conference yesterday the decision for the consumer-centric organisation to open an OpenLab is largely driven by the needs of an area, and Malaysia could be a location the company considers.

"If the market and the customers have a need, and we feel we have value to bring, then we will look at a very serious case to build an OpenLab there.

"The principles are the same in the Malaysian market, we will look at it very seriously provided the opportunity exists and we can have the right partner," he told theedgemarkets.com. Malaysia currently houses, in Kuala Lumpur, one of Huawei's regional headquarters.

Commenting on the region, Huawei's rotating chairman Guo Ping, in his keynote address at the event yesterday, observed the uneven growth among countries embarking on their respective digital transformation journeys.

"Many economies in the Asia-Pacific region have set out on their digital transformation journey, but growth has been uneven. However, we can work together to get ahead of this trend," said Guo.

"The gap between developed and developing economies is widening, and we see the emergence of a Matthew effect where digitally advanced economies produce greater returns on their infrastructure than less-developed economies," he said.

Guo stressed the importance of governments taking the lead in the ecosystem, while industries do their part proactively and individuals work on improving digital skills. He also highlighted the concept of emphasising collaboration instead of competition in growing the industry, and making "the pie bigger for everyone involved".

"Huawei is ready and willing to work with Asia-Pacific countries to build this digital ecosystem. We will collaborate openly and extensively, and happily share our own slice of the market with others," he added.

Also speaking at the forum was Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)'s vice president of investment and industry development Hew Wee Choong, who highlighted the importance of the right government policies.

"The digital economy cuts across all industries. Government policies have to be pro-business, and independent, in terms of encouraging research and development within the industries," he said.

Hew added that MDEC will continue working closely with different ministries in areas such as talent development, besides collaborating with other agencies or the private sector for greater digital adoption among small and medium enterprises.

 

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