(Yicai Global) Jan. 11 -- Alibaba Group Holding, one of China's biggest cloud computing firms, plans to join hands with city services provider Unittec to promote smart city technologies and develop new projects.

The two Hangzhou-based firms penned a framework agreement on Jan. 9, Unittec said in a statement yesterday. Under the deal, Alibaba's cloud computing unit will offer cloud, big data and artificial intelligence services, while Unittec, which provides integrated solutions in rail transit, energy saving and environmental protection, will be in charge of business applications and technical designs.

The partnership is not Unittec's first with a major player in China's tech sector. In late 2017, it teamed up with Alibaba rival Tencent Holdings to handle third-party mobile payments for subway tickets.

Alibaba and Unittec both plan to set up research and development teams to explore the intelligent operation and maintenance of rail transit, and will sign further deals for specific projects after confirming the details of each, the statement added. The pair will tackle projects covering railroads, industrial parks, water supply, smart lighting and other sectors, and work together to promote their services.