The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has granted five cities -- Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Jinan -- the status of national software export base, entitling them to special treatment and financial support from the government.

With the six existing bases -- Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Xi'an, Shenzhen and Dalian -- China now has eleven national software export bases.

Vice-minister of commerce Yi Xiaozhun said the ministry will help these bases develop software brands for the international market. Support for the bases will include interest rebates, R&D funding, personnel training, corporate qualification certification, export credit loans, credit insurance, commercial information and protection of intellectual rights.

Statistics show that the value of China's software exports were multiplied 14 times in a six-year period from 1999 to 2005, rising from US$250 million to US$3.59 billion. The 11 software export bases contributed 80 percent of the total volume.

According to a plan drafted by the MOFCOM, China will boost software exports to US$10 billion by 2010. To attain the goal, software exports will need to grow at an annual rate of no less than 25 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2006)