Intel Corp., the world's largest computer chip maker, began to build a new chip plant Wednesday in southwest China's Sichuan Province with an investment of US$375 million.

The chip plant, located in Chengdu, the provincial capital, is scheduled to be put into operation next year and provide 675 jobs.

Intel expected to set up the world's first-class sealing and testing plant by cooperating with the municipal government, said Craig Barrett, Intel's chief executive officer, at the foundation laying ceremony.

The Intel Chengdu plant would make part of Intel's global semiconductor plant network, which also showed Intel's strong support for China's go-west strategy, said the Intel CEO.

Intel chose Chengdu for the new plant because the city because of its "unique strategic position, outstanding educational system and large numbers of well-trained workforce," Barrett said.

The Chengdu plant was designed to meet the increasing demand for Intel products by customers in Asia and the rest of the world, he said.

Intel has already established similar plants in Pudong New District of Shanghai, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Porto Rico. It also has set up four research and development centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, and opened offices in 14 Chinese cities including Chengdu.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2004)