Chengdu can be hub of mobile, cloud technologies

FRANKFURT -- Chengdu has the potential to become China's hub of mobile and cloud technologies, a German IT company executive told Xinhua.

Alex Atzberger, senior vice president and head of fast growth markets and China growth plan at SAP AG, said China is a very important market to his company.

"Chengdu can be a hub of mobile and cloud (technologies) in China. Therefore it is important for SAP to have a development plan in this market," Atzberger told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The 2013 Fortune Global Forum will be held in Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan, from June 6 to June 8. SAP, along with many other world leading companies, will participate in the forum.

Atzberger said SAP had sent engineers to Chengdu to develop cloud services and other technologies, and is also working with many partners based in Chengdu and other parts of western China.

"Clearly the business in China is moving from the coastal regions to the west," Atzberger said.

SAP announced in 2011 to invest more than $2 billion by 2015 to expand its business in China. Atzberger is the mastermind behind the investment plan and responsible for its implementation.

Atzberger believed it is important for the company to penetrate markets in different provinces of China as it is not the same in every part of China in terms of the economic focus and development.

He sees a good chance for Chengdu to become a center of innovation if the city can take the opportunity to develop cloud or mobile technologies.

"I believe Chengdu has the opportunities because of its geographical location, talented workforce, and the fact that China is very strategic when it thinks about the development of cities," he said.

"So we are committed to China's agenda of growing in the west and also increasing our focus on investment," he said.

SAP boasts a lot of technologies including applications, mobile technologies, cloud technologies, and analytical capabilities based on its super-fast and memory-based technology, Atzberger said.

Commenting on China's urbanization, Atzberger said: "I feel very encouraged by the Chinese government's focus to develop the western region, and the companies and the government have an increasing demand to use technologies to upgrade and build up their capabilities."

Atzberger called on cities in western China to leverage its strength and develop new areas.

"You need to use what you are good at, but then you need to think about how you can use new technologies to make it better," he said.

With its expertise in technologies as well as solutions, SAP is targeting both state-owned companies and small and medium-sized enterprises in China.