The National University of Singapore (NUS) will work with a Chinese tech company to research and develop blockchain solutions, the Communist Party of China’s official news outlet, People’s Daily Online, reported on Feb. 26.

As part of a blockchain and big data seminar held in the city of Chongqing in Sichuan Province, NUS will collaborate with local business Chongqing Jinwowo Technologies (CJT) on innovations that also include big data and artificial intelligence (AI).

“This strategic cooperation will work within big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, etc,” People’s Daily quotes professor Pang Yan, professor at the NUS’ School of Business and Computer Science and director of its Commercial Big Data Analysis Center, as saying.

The seminar also saw the presentation of the Chongqing Blockchain Industry Innovation Alliance’s charter, the entity forming the first blockchain association in the area.

NUS will play a broadly technical role in the CJT deal, reportedly helping resolve issues in new tools with its expertise.

Earlier this month, China’s own educational establishment continued its broad investigation into blockchain, with Fuden University opening a dedicated Blockchain Research Center.

On Tuesday, a corporate partnership was announced between Microsoft and Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, also targeting Blockchain and AI tools.