January 19, 1998 (SHANGHAI, China) -- Microsoft Corp. of the United States opened a technical support center in Shanghai, China's largest industrial city, at a cost of about US$10 million.

Steve Ballmer, the company's deputy chief executive officer, said the Microsoft Greater China Regional Support Center is the company's fifth technical support center. The others are in the United States, Japan, Australia and Europe.

Ballmer said the Shanghai-based center provides telephone, fax and e-mail consulting and on-the-spot service for Microsoft's customers in China. He added that the center is equipped with advanced digital telephones and computer systems, and that it employs dozens of engineers.

Microsoft decided to establish its technical support center in Shanghai because the city is China's leading economic center with many universities and software development units.

Ballmer said the opening of the center will promote the spread of Microsoft's software in China as well as the development of the country's software industry. The company has 500 sales agents and 150 technical training centers in China.

(Xinhua News Agency)