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Growing with Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park and IT industry
By Karen Guo (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-12 08:21
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The AMD Greater China headquarters in Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park |
As the birthplace of the IT sector in China, Zhongguancun is the cradle of many local hi-tech firms.
It's also the key center of technology advances and considered the Silicon Valley of China.
From a peaceful university neighborhood to a distribution center for electronic gadgets to the concrete forest of office buildings today, Zhongguancun has profoundly transformed itself.
Its IT professionals and companies are enormously encouraged by such huge transformation.
A lot comes to my mind when I look out of my office window at the Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park where AMD has settled: our story here undoubtedly reflects part of the marvelous changes in Zhongguancun and the China IT industry. Our dream has come true for AMD to not only stay abreast of the times, but stand out from the crowd through both competition and cooperation and make our contribution to China's IT industry.
Like every IT professional in China, I have a sacred love for Zhongguancun, the cradle of China's IT.
Such was the love that we decided to build the AMD head office for China here in 2005, on the grounds that Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park is able to open a bonanza for hi-tech firms that are daring and capable enough for innovation. I'm convinced it is emerging as the China innovation center and trendsetter for high and new technology industries.
Another milestone was the agreement AMD signed with the Ministry of Science and Technology in China for free transfer of our low-power x86 microprocessor core technology to the Peking University Microprocessor R&D Center, the recipient designated by the ministry.
It was the highest-performing processor that the US had then transferred to China.
In our China strategy, settling down in the park was not only a crucial step, but also a token of confidence and commitment for AMD to go hand in hand with the science park and the China IT industry.
Our decision thrilled the Silicon Valley of China and marked the start of a long saga in which AMD became the most loyal and trustworthy partner for both Zhongguancun and the IT sector in China.
Grow with partners
Since the first day in China, we have deeply understood that for long-term success, we need faith that we are all in the same boat - and grow along with the China IT industry.
Over the years, AMD has adhered to our business philosophy of "Taking roots in China, winning the future together," with a particular note on integrating our own business goals with national blueprints. In that sense, Zhongguancun is our center of gravity in China.
In recent years through our "customer-centric innovation" AMD has built close strategic partnerships with many domestic and foreign IT companies based in Zhongguancun.
Instead of only sales, we partner with our clients.
Only when our partners win, can AMD be truly successful. Such is the mindset for AMD to go hand in hand with other companies based in the park and seek common growth.
Weather the time
For China IT in general and Zhongguancun in particular, the global financial crisis caught everybody off guard.
As head of the Beijing Zhongguancun Association of Foreign-funded Enterprises, I thoroughly understand the resilience this industrial park has demonstrated amid the crisis to provide a sound climate for tenant companies, particularly foreign firms.
In coping with the financial crisis, officials with the Haidian district government and the industrial park's administrative committee have taken the initiative many times to communicate with the companies, fully investigate their difficulties and needs and grant strong support in funding and policy incentives.
In the meantime, government agencies concerned have also played active roles in solving challenges in children's schooling, sports amenity and medical service issues for tenant companies. It's like warmth in the heart of winter.
During the ordeal of the international financial crisis, I'm glad to note more hope and growth than despair thanks to concerted efforts of all companies in Zhongguancun.
We are more confident of our plan to promote proprietary innovation among the companies so we can grow together with the industrial park. Although challenged in our own development, AMD is firm as usual in our commitment to Zhongguancun, to all our cooperation partners, and to the China IT industry.
In AMD today, "customer-centric innovation" means "a heart for a heart and weather the time together."
Winning together
Time and facts have proven Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park is a hothouse for hi-tech firms and that it was a great decision for AMD to settle down here earlier on. We pride ourselves in being part and parcel of the science park and the China IT industry.
AMD is moving on to its next stage of development.
Our success in China is driving AMD global, while Zhongguancun is our source of power in China.
Here, rich networking and marketing resources put AMD in closer range with clients and partners so we know the market, offer better details and can afford to compete more effectively. The park has also provided innovation regime and policy incentives for AMD and many other companies.
In addition, Zhongguancun is en route of another round of major change from a China innovation center to global scientific innovation center.
In that process, AMD will spare no effort to bring the best technologies to the science park, promote proprietary innovation among tenant companies, and help the China IT industry in developing core technology and products that are based on proprietary intellectual property rights. That's how we accelerate Zhongguancun in its globalization drive.
Looking to the future, we are fully confident in Zhongguancun and China's IT industry. In concerted efforts we will keep vaulting new pinnacles of innovation.
The author is AMD senior vice president and president of AMD Greater China.
(China Daily 09/12/2009 page17)
