US computer giant Microsoft plans to invest 100 million US dollars in China over the next five years, said Microsoft China chief executive Chen Yongzheng on Wednesday.

The investment plan was widely regarded as a reward for China's anti-piracy efforts. The US company has already invested 65 million dollars in three Chinese software enterprises this year.

China Business News reported sales of personal computers installed with authorized software systems rose from 25 percent in the last quarter of 2005 to 48 percent in the first quarter of this year in China.

This was partly due to Microsoft's two-billion-dollar purchasing contract with Chinese PC producers Lenovo, Tsinghua Tongfang, Fangzheng and TCL early this year.

The banning of sales of PCs installed with non-authorized operating systems by China in April also played an important role in this regard.

Microsoft awarded Microsoft China the title of "best subsidiary company" this year, the report said.

Microsoft China has 1,000 staff engaged in research and development and the figure will rise to 3,000 in five years.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2006)