BIZCHINA / Yang Yuanqing
Lenovo, Microsoft forge IPR alliance
By Li Xing (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-04-19 06:23
REDMOND, Washington State: Black, white and blue are not the usual
colours for a ceremony to celebrate new business co-operations in China.
But these colours created a solemn ambience on Monday afternoon at
Microsoft headquarters, when senior executives from Lenovo Group Ltd and
Microsoft Corp signed what Lenovo Chairman Yang Yuanqing called "the
largest intellectual property agreement."
Under the agreement, which involves some U$1.2 billion over the next 12
months, the two companies will join hands to promote the use, and
benefits, of bona fide Microsoft software products in China, as well as
in some 65 countries and regions around the world.
In China alone, the amount will reach US$200 million.
"Today marks a new milestone in the two companies' co-operation by
extending the partnership to a global scale, as well as deepening the
level of co-operation," Yang said at the ceremony.
Microsoft and Lenovo decided to forge what is termed "the strategic
co-operation" to coincide with President Hu Jintao's official visit to
the United States, which started yesterday.
The two companies had made up their mind after a six month trial of "a
value-added software programme," under which Lenovo pre-installs genuine
Microsoft Windows operating systems on most Lenovo product lines.
"I believe that better IPR protection in China will create more
favourable conditions for China-US co-operation in the software area,"
Vice-Premier Wu Yi stated in a written speech for the ceremony.
"Working together with Microsoft, we have made it easy for our joint
customers to get the reliability, service and support only available from
genuine software, at great competitive pricing," Yang said.
"By taking the lead in providing genuine value-added software on PCs in
China, Lenovo is demonstrating foresight and wisdom as a responsible
global industry leader," said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software
architect of Microsoft.
"Microsoft commends Lenovo for recognizing the importance of intellectual
property rights and the value of genuine software. We will continue to
work with Lenovo and other industry partners to ensure that customers get
the greatest value and performance from their PCs," Bill Gates added.
The signing of the agreement has also won endorsement from the Chinese
Government.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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