Germany-based SAP, a leading global provider of business software, will continue its expansion in China and expects that its newly established labs in China could solidify its competitive edge in this fast growing market, according to Shang-Ling Jui, president of SAP Labs China.

SAP Labs China -- the eighth of SAP's research and development (R&D) centers worldwide -- was launched in Shanghai recently, and is designed to support ongoing development of the company's enterprise management software and to address special development requests by local customers.

"We are aiming to establish a world class lab and bring benefits to both China and our customers all over the world," Jui told China Daily in an exclusive interview recently.

"We hope to become the catalyst for China's software industry and bring added value to the industry."

According to Peter Zencke, an executive board member with the company, SAP will invest around 10 million euros (US$11.8 million) annually in SAP Labs China.

As a big ERP (enterprise resource planning) provider, SAP has offered services to many Chinese companies such as Lenovo, Haier, Sinopec, Cosco, the Minsheng Bank and the FAW Group Corp.

Jui said that SAP is trying to seek partners in China's Linux software developers and is talking with some firms, but he declined to give the firms' names.

(China Daily December 10, 2003)