Microsoft spreads $1bn R&D love in China

Why make trillions when we can make... BILLIONS?

Microsoft will cough up more than $1bn for research and development projects in China over the next three years.

The firm also announced that it has appointed a new chairman and chief executive in the People’s Republic, Simon Leung. He previously worked at Motorola Inc as the firm’s Asia Pacific president.

Zhang Yaqin, who is Microsoft chairman of research and development in China, told reporters today that the R&D spend-up would be in addition to the $300m MS has already stumped up to build a new facility in Beijing.

He said: "We will spend more than $1bn over the next three years on research and development in China," reports Reuters.

"This spending is mainly targeted at staffing and resources for research and development, it does not include mergers and acquisitions." ®