According to an insider, the international Internet giant Yahoo has set up a global research and development center in Beijing, which is reportedly an important turning point forYahoo's worldwide Internet strategy.

The aim of this new R&D center, according to local Chinese media that broke the story, is to create a core base for Yahoo to design and develop Internet technology platforms and products for its worldwide Internet users. The information about the establishment of this R&D center is expected to be formally announced on June 9, 2009, in Beijing and Yahoo has reportedly already started to plan this event through an international public relations company. Ari Balogh, executive vice president for Yahoo's product worldwide and chief technology officer of the company, will attend the founding ceremony.

At present, the structure of this R&D center has apparently already been decided and Zhang Chen will be general manager.

One major concern: Chinese B2B e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, the operator of the Yahoo China portal, said it knows nothing about this new R&D center and has given no further comment to local Chinese media. A clash of titans might soon begin.