Huawei set to relocate Japanese R&D center

China's Huawei Technologies, the world's largest telecom equipment maker by revenue, will uproot its two Japanese R&D bases from Japan's capital Tokyo and move them in October to a new consolidated center in Yokohama, the company said Wednesday.

Huawei said in a statement e-mailed to the Global Times that the new R&D base will move Huawei's location closer to Japanese enterprises and help Huawei to respond quickly to Japanese market demands while developing more new products and technology for the global market.

Media reported Wednesday that this move was also aimed at further developing the company's R&D capability for the smartphone industry.

Wang Jun, an industry analyst at research firm Analysys International, told the Global Times Wednesday that Japan is a good venue with advanced technology and that the relocation shows Huawei's determination to expand internationally.

Huawei on Wednesday ­posted a revenue surge of 10.8 percent year-on-year in the first six months of this year to 113.8 billion yuan ($18.4 billion).

However, although Huawei ranks among the top three smartphone makers in the ­Chinese market, its close relationship with China's telecom operators has led it to develop poor quality middle- and low-end smartphones, Wang said, adding that the company is changing its strategy of developing high-end smartphones in a bid to realize its brand value.

According to Fortune magazine, Huawei moved up 36 places to 315 on the 2013 Global Fortune 500 list, with its revenue reaching $34.9 billion by the end of March, up 10.6 percent year-on-year.