All four S/390 large computer systems donated by IBM to Chinese universities are now operational as one such system went into use at the Central China Science and Engineering University November 24, reports said.

In July 1997, IBM donated four S/390 computer systems, with an aggregate value of 32 million U.S. dollars, to Central China Science and Engineering University, Beijing University, Fudan University and South China Science and Engineering University, and also helped build a number of IBM technological centers.

Calling cooperation between IBM and Chinese universities a "win-win" deal, Zhou Ji, academician at the China Academy of Engineering Sciences and president of the Wuhan-based Central China Science and Engineering University, said that the development of the information industry and electronic business, large data storage capacity, and the new complications in commercial affairs, will all be aided by this computer system.

He said he believes the operation of the S/390 system will advance development of information industry, the training of qualified personnel, and e-business construction in central China.

The IBM S/390 computer system boasts a large corporate management platform and e-business functions, and can be used in the administration of large corporate enterprises.

More than 70 percent of the world's business data is processed by S/390 computer systems. China now has imported about 100 units of this system which are mainly used in the country's financial sector and large enterprises.