Aveva increases R&D investment in China

Industrial software developer Aveva has ramped up efforts to increase its research and development investment in China, while also deepening its cooperation with local partners, to bolster the digital transformation and upgrading of Chinese enterprises, as it sees enormous opportunities from China's emphasis on the development of new quality productive forces.

China has rapidly emerged as a global frontier for industrial innovation, presenting vast development opportunities driven by its vibrant digital economy and the development of new quality productive forces, said Chris Lee, senior vice-president and head of Asia-Pacific of Aveva.

Lee highlighted that China's mature and extensive industrial system and supply chain offer an unparalleled platform for technological innovation. "We are fully confident in the Chinese market and will continue to increase investment in the 'in China, for China' initiatives."

The company recently launched its China intelligent innovation center, its first localized R&D center, and a vital addition to its global R&D innovation network, deepening its "in China, for China" strategy. The establishment of this center is aimed at addressing the urgent demand for digital productivity within China's industrial development.

With about 40 to 50 percent of the Asia-Pacific region's resources allocated to the Chinese market, Lee said the company gives Chinese clients strong confidence.

He added that the United Kingdom-based company will deepen its roots locally and collaborate closely with local partners to co-create, while empowering global industrial development, China's smart manufacturing drive and industrial digitalization.

Cui Jingyi, the company's vice-president and head of Aveva China, said, "We aim to position China as a key global innovation hub for R&D and innovation efforts, better supporting the domestic industrial digital transformation needs."

Cui said the extensive and rich industrial application scenarios and immense potential within China provide an excellent platform for the iteration and refinement of digital solutions.

She emphasized that the company has always co-created with local customers and partners, transforming cutting-edge technologies such as industrial intelligence and digital twins into highly efficient solutions that build green and digital productivity.

"More importantly, the rich experience we have accumulated domestically not only helps local enterprises reduce costs, boost efficiency and achieve breakthroughs in innovation, but also empowers them to expand globally, allowing China's innovative industrial intelligent solutions to benefit global industry and social development."

Cui noted that many clients have integrated Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's models and are actively exploring how AI can transform their businesses. The newly launched center enables the company to better respond to local market requirements and serve domestic customers, she said, adding that they are willing to accelerate the application of AI through collaboration with local partners.

Digitalization and innovation are key for nurturing the new quality productive forces and advancing new industrialization. Leveraging its profound industrial foundation and the booming industrial internet, China provides a uniquely advantageous validation environment for global enterprises' digital solutions.

The country's highly digitalized industrial cluster also creates immense opportunities for Aveva to integrate global cutting-edge technologies with local practical demands, accelerating the smart transformation and upgrade of Chinese customers, according to the company.

The Ministry of Commerce said that in the first five months, 24,018 new foreign-invested enterprises were established on the Chinese mainland, representing a year-on-year growth of 10.4 percent. Foreign direct investment on the Chinese mainland, in terms of actual use, reached 358.19 billion yuan ($49.96 billion) during the period.

Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said Chinese enterprises could learn advanced technologies and management experience from their foreign counterparts and improve innovation capacity and competitiveness, thereby injecting impetus into economic transformation and upgrading.