Customers are seen in IBM's exhibition booth at an IT exhibition in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province on September 6, 2013. Photo: CFP

US technology giant International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) confirmed with the Global Times on Tuesday that it remains committed to serving the needs of its Chinese clients while transforming its research and development approach to better suit the market, in response to rumors about its shutting down the China Research Laboratory (CRL).

"In order to best support Chinese clients in their journeys to AI and hybrid cloud, and to help them capitalize on national investments in infrastructure and the digital economy, IBM is transforming our research and development approach for the Chinese market," said a company statement sent to the Global Times, which didn't expressly deny market rumors that it is closing the Beijing-based CRL after 25 years of operation.

Among the laboratory's research focus are industry solutions, cognitive computing and the internet of things, according to media reports. 

Chinese clients and business partners will benefit from a new co-innovation model with local IBM experts that provide practical and collaborative solutions for clients in China, according to the company.

"This will be achieved by leveraging the IBM China Development Lab, the IBM China Systems Lab and our network of Client Centers and solution demo sites across the country."

Once the largest company in the United States, IBM saw it shares on the New York Stock Exchange tumble nearly 10 percent on Friday after posting a decline in sales for every quarter of last year. 

Global Times