The move is aimed at continuing the standardization of the software-developing capability of the city, China's leading commercial and technological center.

CMM is an internationally-recognized standard of quality management for software firms. To date, more than 2,000 firms and organizations around the world have obtained the certificates, however, in China, less than 50 have.

The Shanghai Software Capability Assessment and Consultative Center will promote CMM acceptance and effective practice in Shanghai and will help Shanghai-based software companies to import advanced management systems and systems technologies, said Manuel Prego, president of ESI.

Shanghai's software industry has maintained robust growth in recent years, and its exports in 2001 reached over US$100 million, double that of 2000, according to Fu Wenbiao, director of the Shanghai information office.

ESI is co-founded by the European Union and the Spanish government and is one of the world's major institutes specializing in the improvement of software development.

The co-founders of the center are the Shanghai Advisory Center for the Internet Economy and the Shanghai Industrial Software Engineering School.

(People's Daily January 8, 2003)