Electronics equipment systems provider EMC (EMC) has taken the first step of going into China's provincial level cities by setting up a branch in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and the company also aims to set up 20 branches across China in the coming five years.

EMC released its five-year plan for the China market in March 2007 in which it said it would add four subsidiaries in China this year and increase the number to 20 in five years. In addition, EMC said it would increase its partners from the current 500 to over 2000 in two years and train its partners in better serving and supporting clients.

Data released by IDC shows that China's digital information sector will grow at 59% annually from 2006 to 2010, and during that period the yearly growth rate of storage capacity will reach about 40%. Seeing this as a big opportunity, EMC has set up an R&D center in Shanghai to extend to the Yangtze River Delta Region and all over China.