The giant home appliance manufacturer Haier Group recently built an international information valley costing 6 billion yuan ($979 million) and covering 44 hectares of land in the West Coast New Area of the city of Qindao, which is expected to become an industrial cluster centered on environmental protection.

The information valley will have centers for IT incubation and international certification, smart home appliances, and Internet of things technology innovation, with more than 40 labs for technology development and certification for countries around the world. The innovation center will also focus on Haier's U-Home series of electrical appliances and cooperation with other brands.

It will also establish an information industry base and environmental protection community to attract hi-tech information companies and promote a low-carbon, energy-saving life in the surrounding area.

The Haier Group, with HQ in Qingdao, Shandong province, is one of the world's leaders in white goods and household appliances, with 60,000 employees and products that sell in more than 100 countries.