BEIJING - China's tech giant Baidu and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), a leading battery maker, recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement, Baidu announced in a statement to Xinhua on Friday.

The partnership will focus on two core areas -- digital intelligence and autonomous driving, advancing AI applications within the industry and promoting autonomous mobility services.

Baidu will leverage its AI capabilities in digital intelligence development to support CATL across chips, platforms, and applications, the company said.

In autonomous driving, the partnership will focus on integrating CATL's battery technology, battery-swapping solutions, and skateboard chassis into the development of unmanned vehicles.

As a leading company in autonomous driving, Baidu has tested robotaxi services in several Chinese cities including Beijing, Wuhan, Chongqing, Shenzhen and Shanghai.

As of January this year, Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing service has provided over 9 million rides nationwide.

Founded in 2011 in Ningde, East China's Fujian province, CATL has quickly risen to become one of the world's leading battery makers, with its products having drawn worldwide attention for high energy density and fast-charging capabilities.