Apple aiming to open its first China data center in 2020

Apple hopes to be ready to open its first data center in China in 2020, Xinhua reports. The tech giant will launch the work on the 67-hectare site later this year.

The new facility, which will be entirely driven by renewable energy, will be built and run in partnership with Guizhou on the Cloud Big Data. The center is part of Apple’s planned $1 billion investment the southern province of Guizhou.

Starting Feb. 28, mainland iCloud services will be operated by local partner Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co.

The tech giant is also setting up its first R&D center in China in Beijing’s Zhongguancun Science Park. The center has a registered capital of approximately US$14.994 million and will hire a total of 500 employees. It will focus “on the development of computer software and hardware products, communication, audio and video devices, as well as advanced technologies for consumer electronics products and the information industry.”