Cisco Systems, the world's largest maker of equipment for directing Internet traffic says China is well on the way to becoming the world's technology hub.

Chief Executive John Chambers made the remark as he revealed plans for the company's first research center in China.

Chambers said his company would invest 32 million US dollars over five years in a research center in the Chinese coastal city of Shanghai.

The facility will hire 100 employees over the next 18 months, and investigate new voice technologies.

Source: CRI news