ASM Pacific Technology, the world's largest semiconductor assembly equipment supplier by sales, said it would set up its first research and development centre on the mainland within the year, aiming to improve the company's product design and boost sales.
'We chose to set up our third R&D centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province, where a lot of chipmakers are located,' said Lee Wai-kwong, a director of ASM Pacific.
'As an equipment supplier, we follow closely our customers.'
Mr Lee said the size of the Chengdu centre would be bigger than the Hong Kong complex which employs about 300 engineers.
'Human resources are abundant on the mainland; the country has so many universities specialising in semiconductors,' he said.
'We will be able to do more fundamental engineering research in Chengdu.'
At present, ASM Pacific has two research and development centres in Hong Kong and Singapore, which support the production lines of its mainland and Malaysian plants.