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Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's No.1 PC maker, is investing heavily in China and plans to develop cloud-computing products here to sell globally, Chief Executive Leo Apotheker said.

This week, HP opened a cloud computing centre in the port city of Tianjin, announced a server computer networking and development centre in Beijing and said its Personal Systems Group will establish a China headquarters in Shanghai to develop hardware and Internet products.

Cloud computing refers to users of computers, smartphones and other devices accessing programs and files kept on server computers or rather than installed on individual PCs.