Visiting Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Meets Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji & Announces Further Investment in China
BEIJING, China, Sept. 18, 2000 — Microsoft CEO & President, Steve Ballmer, emphasizes Microsoft’s commitment to a long-term investment and development in China again during his two-day visit. Ballmer will also outlines Microsoft .NET, the strategy and platform for next generation internet at a conference for Chinese IT professionals and developers.
During his two-day visit in China, Ballmer meets China’s Premier Zhu Rongji and reports on Microsoft’s investment and business in China. During the meeting, Premier Zhu reemphasizes on the importance of software industry in China’s national economic development. He also welcomes Microsoft’s further investment and its intention to have a wider cooperation with the industry in China.
“Our strategy in China really focuses on long-term investment. We would like to cooperate with local industry, partners and government organizations to build up a win-win relationship and to help China embrace the knowledge economy.”
Ballmer expressed at the meeting.
Ballmer also meets other Chinese government officials, including Minister Wu Jichuan of MII (Ministry of Information Industry) and Vice Minister Ma Songde of MST (Ministry of Science & Technology).
Microsoft today announces that a total investment of US$ 40 million over the next few years will be made to expand its Asia Regional Engineering Center in Shanghai. The scale of the center will be doubled, from the current 300 engineers to 600 engineers. With this further investment, the center will provide global support for developer tools of Windows and Microsoft Office via Internet. As the company’s largest customer support center in Asia, the center provides a wide range of technical support and services to Microsoft users throughout the region and across the world. It plays an instrumental role in the company’s global drive to improve customer satisfaction and facilitate technology transfers with its customers and partners.
To support Chinese government’s call to boost its local software industry and export trade, Ballmer also announces today that Microsoft will explore the possibilities of the establishment of a Sino-Foreign joint venture software company with Beijing Centergate Technologies (holding) Co., Ltd. The aim of this cooperation/new venture will be to further help the development of the domestic Chinese software industry. It also aims to further develop the Beijing Zhonguancun high-tech zone as a world class center for software development and new technology ventures. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will provide technical, management, business development and financial support once the new venture has been established.
Ballmer also attends the signing ceremonies of three major customer agreements respectively with the State Administration of Tax, Industry & Commerce Bank of China and Zhejiang Tobacco.
“Our enterprise platforms & technologies have been widely used in the mission-critical projects of China’s government organizations and enterprises. We have received very positive response from a lot of customers. I am very excited about that. We are committed to provide Chinese customers with the best products, technologies and customer support and to help them improve their working efficiency and management effectiveness. On behalf of Microsoft, I also would like to thank all the loyal customers in China for their support.”
.
Working, growing and succeeding with partners is Microsoft business model and the key for Microsoft’s success in China. By now, Microsoft has developed a wide partnership with thousands of companies in China, including ISVs, OEMs, and developers. During his trip, Ballmer meets with partner representatives. At the meeting, Ballmer listens to their opinion, share with them Microsoft’s vision of next generation of Internet and explores the exciting opportunities brought by Microsoft .NET to them.
Ballmer also meets with executives from major banks and telecom companies in China, including Great Wall Asset Management Corp., Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Construction of China, People’s Bank of China, China Telecom, Da Tang Telcom and China NetCom.
Steve Ballmer is president and chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., the world’s leading manufacturer of software for personal and business computing. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and was the first business manager hired by Bill Gates. He was named CEO in January 2000, assuming full management responsibility for the company, including delivering on the company’s vision of
“empowering people through great software, any time, any place and on any device.”
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device. For further information about Microsoft in China, please visit Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/china/ .
For further information, please contact:
Wang Ke, H-line PR
Tel: 86 10 83913200
Fax: 86 10 83913210
Sharon Zhang & Jennifer Ma, Microsoft China
Tel: 86 10 62617711
Fax: 86 10 88097324
