(Yicai Global) June 4 -- China and the United Nations aim to set up the first ever Big Data research institute between the international organization and a country in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the home of tech titan Alibaba Group Holding, to help developing nations innovate in the data field.

China's National Bureau of Statistics and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs have penned a memorandum of understanding, Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday. The lab will hold training courses for people from developing nations in Hangzhou, a city known for its tech wonders, including Ant Financial Services Group.

Big Data plays an important role in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and it will help developing countries to take part in global data innovation, Liu Zhenmin, the UN's under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, told Xinhua. 

China uses Big Data in surveys to improve collection methods and analysis, as well as promote international cooperation, said NBS Director Ning Jizhe.

Editor: Emmi Laine