Microsoft to boost China R&D unit

Microsoft Corp plans to add 1,200 staff for research and development in mainland China this year at an estimated cost of US $60 million, the South China Morning Post reported on Saturday.
The world's largest software company has also bought land to set up corporate campuses in Beijing and Shanghai, Zhang Yaqin, Microsoft's head of mainland R&D operations, told the newspaper. The article said Microsoft, which has about 3,000 employees on the mainland, last year invested about US $150 million "in just people costs" in China and will "add probably 40 percent in people" this year.
Much of the new spending will be on Microsoft's mobility software, including Web services, digital entertainment and media applications for mobile telephones, the article said. With the land purchases in Beijing and Shanghai, Microsoft will have the capacity for 8,000 people in 2-3 years time, the report quoted Zhang as saying.