International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), a leading global IT company, set up a branch office in the Outsourcing Demonstration Park of Yantai, East China's Shandong province, which is its thirty-second branch office nationwide.

The company is expanding its software research and development, services outsourcing and system integration in provincial cities of Yantai, Weihai and Weifang.

The company is hoping to hire more than 100 high-caliber people to work in China or abroad within three years.

Located on the north coast of Shandong, Yantai has made great headway in its software outsourcing services in recent years.

The city is home to more than 200 businesses in the software sector. Approximately 60 companies provide outsourcing services in areas such as information technology and business management.

By Wang Qian (China Daily Shandong Bureau)

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Tom Mcgregor