Both Google and Amazon are big titans of the web. They have businesses in cloud computing, smart home devices and some others.
In a strategy to search for areas to generate more revenue, both are increasingly entering each other's space. But there is one significant business that Google can't catch up with Amazon, and that is e-commerce, considered to be Amazon's strongest foundation.
To catch up with Amazon in what it does best, the search giant's parent company, Alphabet, partners with JD.com, one of China's leading online sellers.
Google has announced a $550 million investment in JD.com, acquiring 27 million Class A ordinary shares in the China's second-largest internet retailer. In addition to its 1 percent stake purchase of the company, Google is also listing JD's products to its Google Shopping e-commerce site.
Having a stake in JD, Google plans to leverage its technologies with JD's supply chain and logistics expertise.
The competition between Google and Jeff Bezos' Amazon exists in a number of businesses.
Google is the leader of online advertising. This is an area that Amazon is eager to get into. Both Google and Amazon are competing in artificial intelligence, where Google is the leader. Amazon rules the cloud, while Google ranks some points behind it.
With the two trying to eat away each others' pie, the conflict escalates. For example, Amazon has removed Google's Nest thermostat from its online store, in a strategy to promote its own aggressive push into smart devices.
Because Amazon sees itself as a pioneer in the voice-activated smart-speaker market, and Google Home has been stealing market share, Amazon has also removed Home from its listing.
The partnership between Google and JD is more than just that.
Unlike Amazon, Google has difficulties in reaching China, as its services have been blocked in the country since 2010. This is as a result of the company's stance against the China's censorship.
The collaboration also benefits JD as it has long struggled against Jack Ma's Alibaba, a dominant player in China. The collaboration also benefits JD as it has long struggled against Alibaba, a dominant player in China. What's more, it can also help JD in expanding beyond China and Southeast Asia, and establish a meaningful presence in U.S. and European markets.
JD has also made other partnership to strengthen its position in the market, with Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent Holdings owning 10 percent. This allowed the e-commerce company to sell directly to consumers through the Tencent's WeChat app.
JD has also teamed with China's streaming-video iQiyi, in a bid to attract more customers.
And since Walmart also owns part of 20 percent of JD, Google hopes that its part can help if tighten the relationship with Walmart. Together, Google wants to stay relevant in the voice-powered future of e-commerce.