US Firms Found China Attractive for Tech ResearchSix US big companies agreed that China becomes an attractive place to set up their research and development centers, Thursday's Chinadaily reported.The six member companies of the US-based Industrial Research Institute (IRI), including Motorola, Ford, Lucent Technologies and Procter & Gamble, made this statement on IRI's four-day Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Forum, which closed Wednesday in Beijing. IRI is a non-profit association composed of 270 international industrial and service companies, whose mission is to enhance the technological innovation of the industry. About 25 of IRI's member companies have set up research and development sites in China and the figure is expected to double in the next five years, said Charles F. Larson, president of IRI. China's strong push toward a market-driven economy and impending membership in the WTO makes it an excellent location for tech research and development, said Larson. A second CTO Forum in China will be convened in 2001, perhaps in Shanghai. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |