Microsoft said yesterday it has expanded the reach of its customer service center in Shanghai to cover the entire Asia-Pacific region.

The move is widely seen as a vote of confidence by the world's largest software company in the mainland's development as an international IT service and support center.

"Shanghai is playing an increasingly important role in Microsoft's global development strategy," said Wing-Dar Ker, general manager of Microsoft's customer service center for the Asia-Pacific region. Ker said the Shanghai center will bring together Microsoft's customer service, technical support and resources from across the region.

Ker said the increasing number of skilled IT professionals in China and the growth of the global IT service industry were key factors in the decision. "China is providing an average of 30,000 to 40,000 graduates specializing in information technology every year," Ker said. These talented IT engineers and designers "are giving big support to Microsoft's business expansion in the Asia-Pacific region".

The Shanghai center works with the Suzhou Global Institution of Software Technologies to train IT service and support professionals for the industry.

Microsoft said this collaboration helps colleges to use its expertise to cultivate an IT talent pool for the local industry.

The service center is expected to train up to 300 qualified staff in the coming three years.

It was set up in 1997 and employs more than 850 IT professionals who provide a 24-hour service, seven days a week to global customers.

(China Daily December 7, 2007)