Oracle expands reach in China

Oracle kicked open the doors at a second software development lab in China on Wednesday, trying to tap into one of the hottest areas for database growth.

The new China Development Center in Beijing will have workers focus on five main areas. Oracle wants to step up its services practice to be able to handle large, national projects, set up labs to team with Chinese software partners, create a customer center, expand localization and translation skills for both China and Japan and help partners with support issues.

"The establishment of the Beijing CDC shows Oracle's firm commitment to investment in China. We have made investments not only in research and development but also many other areas including education, and we believe that such investments will benefit China," said Loke Soon Choo, Oracle Greater China Regional Managing Director. "We hope to work more closely with the Chinese government to bring our technologies, knowledge and expertise to China."

Oracle has already been busy in China, opening another development center last year in Shenzhen. The company has also formed ties with China's Red Flag Linux to tune Oracle's database for the open source operating system.

Part of the Beijing group will continue the Red Flag work. The Chinese company currently sells a version of its OS called Red Flag Data Center OS4.0 exclusively to Oracle customers in China.

Oracle is additionally looking to hawk its E-Business Suite China Special Edition product to the tens of thousands of midsize PRC customers.

A number of large U.S. tech companies have set up similar centers in China with many located in Shenzhen. ®