Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei Technologies has decided to set up a basic research center in Cergy-Pontoise, a district in the northern French province of Val-d'Oise.

The center opened at the end of September 2009.

Focusing on the basic research in fields such as advanced algorithm of mobile phone networks, standard formulation for mobile phone networks, and testing and evaluation of mobile phone services, this new center will initially employ 20 employees. By the end of this year, the center will have 50 employees.

Alain Leikin, an official of Val-d'Oise, said that Huawei's decision of locating its first French basic research center in Cergy-Pontoise signals this area's attraction to high-end research and development projects.