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Bill Gates Pledges Full Support for China's Software Industry
Microsoft founder Bill Gates Friday pledged full support for the software industry in China, saying that a prosperous software industry will not only boost the development of China's knowledge-based economy but also facilitate China's leading role in global economy and partnership.
Gates, who is in Shanghai attending the on-going APEC CEO Summit, said the support will cover the areas of professionals, technology, market demand and capital.
"Microsoft sees huge market potential here in China and its incredible human resources (for software development) if developed properly," said Gates when asked about Microsoft's ambitious China strategy.
He said that may explain why China has been drawing tremendous attention from the company despite the fact that China accounts for only an estimated 0.5 percent of Microsoft's total annual sales.
As part of its move to honor its commitment to China's software industry, the world's biggest software firm announced a package of cooperation and investment programs in Shanghai and the other parts of China.
In a move Gates described as a milestone, Microsoft reached a letter of intent with the Shanghai municipal government on establishing an enterprise in Shanghai, with software technology service as its core business.
Microsoft also launched a program to train 2,000 software research and development administrators for China, which Microsoft termed as an MBA program for the software industry.
In another development, Gates unveiled Thursday with Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi the Microsoft Global Technological Support Center in Shanghai, the only one of its kind outside the United States.
According to him, Microsoft plans to invest about 100 million U. S. dollars in China.
Gates praised China's effort to crack down on pirated software, particularly the promise by the Shanghai municipal government to buy Microsoft's state-of-the-art licensed software.
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