BEIJING - A cloud computing industry alliance was set up Wednesday in Beijing to promote the development and innovation of information technology.

The alliance, China's first of its kind, was jointly established by Tsinghua University, Peking University and the Center for International Economic and Technological Cooperation under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The alliance aims to introduce advanced ideas, technologies and experience of cloud computing from overseas in order to boost the industry in China, said an alliance statement.

It will also boost domestic and international cooperation of cloud computing by integrating resources from government, enterprises, universities, research institutes and capital market, it said.

"Cloud computing marks the trend of the information industry," said Sun Jiaguang, president of the alliance and dean of Tsinghua University's School of Information Science and Technology.

Sun said cloud computing serves as "a nerve center between Internet of Things and the mobile Internet" and concerns the future of the economy.

The alliance strives to become an influential cross-sector, interdisciplinary social group to promote China's industrial upgrading and economic restructuring, he added.