NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKEX: 777) is taking a bold step to globalize Chinese AI. At a launch event this week, the company’s subsidiary Cherrypicks announced a strategic alliance with Zhongke WengAI, one of Mainland China’s leading AI developers, to accelerate the rollout of advanced AI applications in enterprise and education worldwide.
The partnership cements Cherrypicks as WengAI’s exclusive overseas commercialization partner—a move that effectively positions Hong Kong as the gateway for exporting Chinese AI tech to global markets. WengAI, in turn, is investing directly in Cherrypicks and contributing its flagship AI technology, including the YaYi large language model.
A “Go-Global” Strategy for Chinese AI
The alliance is more than a commercial handshake—it’s a showcase of China’s AI “go-global” playbook, with Hong Kong positioned as the international bridge.
“Cherrypicks will leverage synergies to bring leading AI technologies such as the YaYi model to Hong Kong and overseas, powering smart city development and industry upgrades,” said Dr. Simon Leung, Vice Chairman of NetDragon.
For WengAI, which already serves nearly a thousand organizations in finance, healthcare, and scientific research inside China, Hong Kong offers a multilingual environment, regulatory advantages, and international reach.
The Tech Behind WengAI
Zhongke WengAI has carved out a reputation as a heavyweight in China’s AI sector. Its YaYi large language model and AI Scientist agent both ranked first on two separate global AI agent benchmarks in 2025, outperforming rivals from Europe and the U.S.
Key capabilities include:
- Multimodal AI: processing text, audio, video, and images.
- Advanced reasoning: supporting decision-making in science, finance, and healthcare.
- Semantic understanding: enabling context-aware applications across industries.
At the launch event, WengAI showcased YaYi AI-Scientist, a platform for accelerating research, and unveiled Wisky, a social listening tool for trend analysis and intelligent reporting, as well as Yoya, a multimodal content creation suite optimized for mobile.
Together, these tools highlight WengAI’s push into mobile-first AI intelligence—a differentiator in markets where users increasingly expect enterprise-grade capabilities on smartphones.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong, the partnership represents a boost to its AI ecosystem and a potential competitive advantage in the Greater Bay Area’s innovation race.
For enterprises, it signals the arrival of Chinese-developed AI tools in global markets at a scale not previously seen. WengAI’s mix of AI agents, multimodal content creation, and zero-code development platforms could appeal to industries hungry for automation but wary of Western-centric ecosystems.
And for the broader AI industry, it underscores the intensifying global competition around large language models and domain-specific AI agents. With WengAI outperforming benchmarks against international peers, the “Made in China” AI narrative is shifting from catch-up to direct competition on innovation and performance.
The Road Ahead
Cherrypicks and WengAI plan to integrate tools like Wisky (AI-powered trend tracking) with Yoya (content creation) into cross-border mobile solutions, targeting Hong Kong’s unique mix of multilingual, international-facing industries.
As Dr. Waley Wang, Chairman of WengAI, put it: “Hong Kong is strategically significant for overseas expansion. By combining our AI tech with Cherrypicks’ ecosystem, we aim to deliver higher-quality intelligent services worldwide.”
The alliance could prove pivotal in making Hong Kong not just a financial hub, but a launchpad for Chinese AI tech onto the world stage.
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