Hangzhou government and e-commerce giant Alibaba sign an agreement June 12 to speed up and deepen their cooperation in digital governance. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

Hangzhou government and e-commerce giant Alibaba signed an agreement June 12 to speed up and deepen their cooperation in digital governance, local media reported.

Aiming to polish Hangzhou into a national leader in digital governance, the two sides will focus on the novel and innovative rendering of infrastructure, consumption, manufacturing, e-commerce and healthcare by using methods such as setting up integrated platforms, promoting key projects, making technological breakthrough, and reforming major industries.

Hangzhou announced its ambition to become a "national digital governance leader" in 2018 and the past two years have seen the city empowering its digital economy, and revealing its great economic resilience during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Statistics show that in the first quarter of 2020, Hangzhou achieved year-on-year growth of 6.1 percent in the added value of core digital industries, with the digital economy accounting for 24.2 percent of its GDP. Industries in software and information services, and digital content have surged by 10.1 and 8 percent.

The "health code" that originated in Hangzhou has worked well in the city and inspired many Chinese governments by providing convenience to medical workers, urban patrollers and the general public.