SHANGHAI, March 7(Xinhuanet)-- The US-based technology giant, Agilent Technologies Inc., announced here recently that it plans to establish a R&D center on semiconductor testing in Shanghai, another step for the company to transfer its business to China.

Along with the new R&D center, Agilent also plans to open an semiconductor testing school and host a thesis competition about semiconductor manufacturing in China this year, in order to train more professional semiconductor testing engineers for the energetic country, said Zhan Wenyin, president of Agilent's China branch.

Zhan said China has become Agilent's second largest global market after the United States, whose demand for semiconductor products is increasing at an annual speed of 26 percent.

Zhan forecasts that by 2008, China will consume about one-quarter of world total semiconductor products. He said Agilent will take the opportunity to establish five professional R&D centers in China in the next three to five years, to produce more products suitable to the Chinese clients.

According to Zhan, the new semiconductor testing R&D center will work to offer solutions for Agilent in China's expanding market. The new semiconductor testing school will offer one-year professional training to Chinese engineers.

In addition, Agilent has established cooperative ties with somedomestic technology companies and also worked together with the Beijing University and Shanghai's Fudan University in training more semiconductor talents for China.