Novell Announces Expansion Plans for China

Courtesy of TechWeb News

Novell is making major strides as it expands into China.
The company announced plans Wednesday to create a research and development center, open new regional branches, offer local technology support, and strengthen ties with Asian partners.
"Novell is increasing its investment in China because we believe we can have an enormous positive impact on economic growth in the region," Jack Messman, chairman and CEO of Novell, said in a statement. "Together with our Chinese partners, we are dedicated to promoting the development of Linux and open source in the local market, as well as accelerating the Chinese software industry more broadly."
The Chinese offices will be in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. Novell is also launching openSUSE.org.cn, a dedicated Chinese language site offering free, easy access to Linux.
"Investing in the Chinese market is a key strategy for Novell," added Novell Asia-Pacific President Rhonda O'Donnell in the company statement. "We are poised for a new era in China, ready to significantly contribute to China's development of its software industry."