Chinese telecom operator China Mobile and the University of Cambridge have signed a cooperation memorandum to jointly establish a research and development entity.

This is the first time for China Mobile to implement an R&D communication and cooperation with a British university.

The memorandum confirms the two parties' intension to enhance exchanges in the next three years. It said that China Mobile will set up a R&D entity, which is reportedly the company's first R&D organization in Europe, in the University of Cambridge. In addition, the two parties will cooperate in joint training of research staff.

Wang Jianzhou, chairman of China Mobile, told Chinese media that the partnership is of strategic significance. He said as a large enterprise, China Mobile eyes the entire international market to gain a leading position in the world's telecom industry. To realize this goal, the training of talents and the improvement of R&D capacity are necessary.

Prof. Alison Richard, executive vice president of University of Cambridge, said that as a university with an 800-year history, University of Cambridge has a solid R&D foundation. The partnership with China Mobile will become an important part of the university's R&D cooperation sector.

The two parties' first batch of projects will reportedly focus on promoting energy-saving and emission reduction through mobile communication services.