Microsoft to expand cloud computing business in China

Ralph Haupter, CEO of Microsoft in China. More than 65,000 Chinese corporate customers have signed up for Azure service Microsoft Corp will step up efforts to expand its cloud computing business in China as local enterprises are embracing new technologies to boost productivity, a top executive of the US software giant said on Tuesday. Ralph Haupter, CEO of Microsoft in China, said despite China's economic slowdown, the company is seeing an increasing demand for its cloud service Microsoft Azure. Earlier this month, Microsoft lowered the price for part of its cloud computing services amid intensifying competition from rivals like Amazon.com Inc and China's homegrown internet heavyweights Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd. In September, Microsoft and its Chinese cloud computing partner 21Vianet Group Inc set up a joint venture with the State-owned information technology company Unisplendour Corp Ltd, aiming to break into the government and SOE market.