Global IT Giant Fujitsu Officially Moves into Nanhai

The Nanhai People’s Government of Foshan, Guangdong Province and Fujitsu today announced that both parties have agreed to jointly invest and build the Fujitsu South China Data Centre, Fujitsu's first world-class data centre in China, in the Guangdong High-tech Service Zone for Financial Institutions. Provincial, municipal and district government leaders such as Mr Tong Xing, Mr Lu Jiansheng, Mr Wu Jun, Ms Ye Suisheng, Mr Li Yiwei, Ms Wang Ling and Mr Ou Bangmin; Mr Michiyoshi Mazuka, Chairman and President of Fujitsu Limited and Mr Yau Kan, Regional CEO of Fujitsu South China and Hong Kong attended the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou today.

Witnessed by Mr Tong Xing (fourth from right in the rear row), Deputy Governor of Guangdong Province; Mr Michiyoshi Mazuka, Chairman and President of Fujitsu Limited (third from right in the rear row); and other provincial, municipal and district government leaders and Fujitsu representatives, Mr Liang Xinwen (right on front row), Chairman of the Guangdong Certification Authority and Mr Yau Kan (left on front row), Regional CEO of Fujitsu South China and Hong Kong signed the co-operation agreement today in Guangzhou to build the Fujitsu South China Data Centre in Nanhai District of Foshan.

The co-operation between the Nanhai People's Government of Foshan, Guangdong Province and Fujitsu began in 2007. After the establishment of the Guangdong High-tech Service Zone for Financial Institutions, in accordance with the requirements of building Nanhai into a back-office service base of financial institutions, Nanhai District sought to engage in talks with leading IT firms worldwide. Initial contacts were made with Fujitsu in late 2007. Over the past two years, senior management of both parties have visited each other and made in-depth exchanges in areas such as financial data business, IT services and software. Both Nanhai and Fujitsu were very enthusiastic in identifying areas for co-operation and have gradually achieved a consensus, which was then translated into a series of co-operation agreements with concrete results:

In January 2009, Mr Naoyuki Akikusa, Senior Executive Adviser of Fujitsu Limited visited Nanhai District and facilitated the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) of strategic partnership between Fujitsu China Co. Limited and Nanhai District, indicating an intention to launch full-scale co-operation with Guangdong with a strong base established in Nanhai.

In September 2009, Fujitsu Hong Kong Limited, the Nanhai People's Government of Foshan and the Guangdong Certification Authority (GDCA) signed the MOU for Joint Establishment of Fujitsu South China Data Centre. Under this agreement, the three parties will work together to build the Fujitsu South China Data Centre and launch professional data centre services such as co-location services, data backup services and disaster preparedness services.

The signing of the cooperation agreement today denotes a new level of the bilateral co-operation between Nanhai District and Fujitsu. Fujitsu South China Data Centre is the first confirmed project since both parties began working together two years ago. With a total investment of US$29.5 million and a gross construction area of approximately 10,000 square metres, the project is expected to begin operations in early 2011. The new world-class data centre will offer system application management and maintenance through contracted service; IT support management, bank back-office service and data processing service. Embracing Fujitsu's values of "being green, customer-focused and safe" in its design and operations, the new data centre will also refer to the successful experience of Australia and Japan to ensure that it will become a high-end data centre of Fujitsu worldwide meeting stringent international standards of reliability, security, efficiency and eco-friendliness.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held in Guangzhou today, Mr Michiyoshi Mazuka, Chairman and President of Fujitsu Limited said, "We are honoured to be able to co-operate with and secure great support from the Nanhai People's Government of Foshan, Guangdong Province to work on this important project. As Fujitsu is working hard to expand its global business, the Fujitsu South China Data Centre in Foshan area will provide a solid platform to enhance our global data centre and outsourcing services offerings to customers in the fast-growing market of China. Leveraging our global expertise and experience, it will also help promote service industries in Guangdong to support the province's long-term economic strategy."

Ms Wang Ling, Deputy Mayor of Foshan remarked, "The Nanhai People's Government and Fujitsu have signed the MOU of strategic partnership. With the strong support of government leaders and departments at all levels, both parties have finally made the first step towards concrete co-operation, which is certainly worth celebrating. The signing also demonstrates great confidence of both parties in the economic development of Guangdong Province."

Foshan is of great importance to the development of IT industries in Guangdong. Leveraging the launch of The Outline of the Plan for the Reform and Development of the Pearl River Delta and the pilot measures of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), Foshan has taken the lead in developing service industries and promoting the integrated development of informationalisation and industrialisation. As the Guangdong High-tech Service Zone for Financial Institutions further develops and the cluster demand of informationalisation of government agencies and private businesses grows, it is critical to have professional and high-end services from third parties. The co-operation between the GDCA and Fujitsu Hong Kong Limited is an alliance of strength for mutual success. The vision of "green, customer-focused and safe" of the data centre and the state-of-the-art IT innovation and services will help enhance the service environment of the Guangdong High-tech Service Zone for Financial Institutions. This will in turn bring fresh dynamism to the information service sector in Foshan. The project will not only serve the South China market but also promote the development of a data centre service industry chain.

Mr Yau Kan, Regional CEO of Fujitsu South China and Hong Kong said, "We are most grateful to the enthusiastic support of the Nanhai People's Government of Foshan throughout the planning process of the new data centre. During the feasibility study, planning and negotiation stages, we are very impressed by the visionary leadership, strong capabilities, professional attitude and commitment of the Nanhai authorities, which make them an ideal and reliable partner of this important project. We will continue to work closely with the authorities to bring the data centre to the mutual benefit of Fujitsu, Nanhai and Guangdong as a whole."

The establishment of the Fujitsu South China Data Centre marks another success of Guangdong Hi-tech Services Zone for Financial Institutions in Nanhai District, following the launch of widely recognised, benchmark high-end service projects from domestic and overseas companies such as the AIA supporting centre, the South China information centre of the People's Insurance Company Group of China and Sun Hung Kai Financial Group. The Fujitsu South China Data Centre is set to have far-reaching impact on the urbanisation, enterprise transformation and upgrade of Nanhai, as well as Guangdong's strategy of building itself into a province with a robust financial sector. Firstly, the Fujitsu South China Data Centre reinforces the solid position of Guangdong Hi-tech Services Zone for Financial Institutions as a back-office service base of international financial institutions. As back offices of domestic and foreign financial institutions, information software and service outsourcing companies settle in the High-tech Service Zone, the development of service industries in Foshan and Nanhai can be enhanced and Guangdong's aspiration to groom a robust financial sector be supported. Secondly, the Fujitsu South China Data Centre will provide small- and medium-sized enterprises in South China, especially those in the Pearl River Delta, with state-of-the-art and comprehensive IT support, as well as professional data storage solutions that are safe and affordable. This will play an important role in promoting the transition from "made in Guangdong" to "served in Guangdong", the enhancement of "made in Guangdong" by "served in Guangdong" offerings, along with the transformation and upgrade of enterprises in the province. Thirdly, as a leader in the global IT industry and a well-known global corporation, Fujitsu demonstrates great confidence in the development of China, in particular Guangdong, by investing in the province during the financial crisis, which will help boost the confidence of other companies in business development.

At the same time, the infrastructure and its radiation effect of the Guangdong Hi-tech Services Zone for Financial Institutions will facilitate the rapid development of the Fujitsu South China Data Centre, which will in turn encourage Fujitsu to expand its high-end data centre services to the rest of China.

Fujitsu and GDCA, the investment representative of the Nanhai People’s Government of Foshan will establish a joint venture to construct the Fujitsu South China Data Centre, which is expected to be completed in early 2011. The new data centre will serve customers from government agencies, banking and financial institutions, manufacturing, transport and logistics sectors.

Background Information

Nanhai District, Foshan Municipality

Located in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta, Nanhai District of Foshan Municipality is adjacent to Guangzhou and very close to Hong Kong and Macau. The Nanhai District occupies a total area of 1,073.82 square kilometres and administers 2 sub-district offices and 6 towns. The district government is located in the Guicheng Sub-District. Nanhai's registered population stands at 1.1304 million and its floating population at 1.1079 million. Overseas Chinese and residents from Hong Kong and Macau also exceed 400,000.

Awarded "Model City of National Informationalisation", "Model City of National Hygiene", "Outstanding City of Tourism in China", "Culturally Advanced County of China", "Model City of Regional Technological Innovation" and "A District in Guangdong Recognised for Good Education", the Nanhai District is an advanced city with balanced development in economic and social terms. In 2006, Nanhai also became one of the top five of the 100 most outstanding counties and districts in China. Based on the principles of "being highly committed in political terms, having a highly committed team with a highly committed strategy and reform", the People's Government of Nanhai is striving to build Nanhai into a dynamic, efficient and convenient district of integrity, and a five-star home of harmony for people and businesses.

Guangdong High-tech Service Zone

Guangdong High-tech Service Zone for Financial Institutions is an important platform of the provincial government of Guangdong to implement its strategy of building Guangdong into a province with a robust financial sector. Located by Lake Qiandeng in Nanhai, the High-tech Service Zone occupies a total area of 4.5 square kilometres, of which 1.5 square kilometres is available for development. As a base of back-office services for financial institutions nationwide and a regional financial and business hub, the High-tech Service Zone has become the site of headquarters, regional headquarters and back-office functions (including data processing centre, call centre, disaster recovery centre, training centre, as well as research and development centre) of many financial institutions at home and abroad. More than 10 high-end service firms have already established their offices in the High-tech Service Zone with a total investment of RMB6 billion, including the back-office support centre of the American International Group, the South China operating centre of the People’s Insurance Company Group of China Limited and Sun Hung Kai Financial Group, among others.