AsianFin -- Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat expressed his support on Tuesday for Baidu bringing its Apollo Go autonomous taxi service to the Southeast Asian city-state. The move could mark a significant milestone in Baidu’s global expansion of autonomous mobility services.

According to media reports, prominent investor Cathie Wood, known as "Wood Sister" in China, has recently increased her holdings in Baidu. Baidu is a leading Chinese company in both large-language models and autonomous driving technology.

During his visit to Baidu’s Apollo Park in Beijing, Heng met with Baidu CEO Robin Li and took a ride in the company’s sixth-generation Apollo Go autonomous taxi, which operates with L4-level autonomous driving technology. Baidu reported that its autonomous fleet has so far covered 150 million kilometers without any fatalities, with an insurance claim rate only one-fourteenth that of human drivers.

Baidu currently operates Apollo Go services in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and Chongqing. After securing Hong Kong’s first autonomous driving test license late last year, the company recently began road tests in the city. If successful in entering Singapore, this would mark Baidu’s first major expansion beyond Greater China. Robin Li previously hinted at these plans last year. Reports also suggest that Baidu is exploring market entry opportunities in the Middle East and Europe.

Additionally, media reports indicate that Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has expanded its stake in Baidu, with two of its ETFs acquiring an additional 129,451 shares of the company.