SAP, Huawei sign China accord

International business software supplier SAP AG and Chinese telecommunications maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd have signed a global joint software development, sales and marketing agreement.

The agreement is the latest move by SAP within an overall $2 billion China investment plan, announced late last year.

Huawei was in partnership with Sybase, a mobile enterprise software provider, before Sybase was acquired by SAP in 2010.

The two companies will work together in developing information and communication technologies, according to Zhang Yelai, president of Huawei's IT product line.

No detailed information about the agreement was disclosed.

Teaming up with Huawei is just a start of SAP's investment plans in China, and more deals are expected to target the nation's small and medium-sized enterprises in the year ahead, said Alex Atzbeger, senior vice-president of SAP and head of the company's China strategy.