Open Source Development Labs (OSDL), a global consortium dedicated to accelerating the adoption of Linux, today announced that Beijing Software Testing Center (BSTC), China's largest software testing organization, has joined OSDL and plans to focus on Linux testing and development of internationalization features for Linux.

BSTC was founded in 2002 by the Beijing Government Science and Technology Commission and the Beijing Products Quality and Inspection Institute. Through regulation and quality control, BSTC accelerates development of China's export software industry by preparing products for global markets.

Linux use and software exports are both growing rapidly in China. Estimates from the Chinese government's Beijing Software Industry Productivity Center show Linux sales in China growing at over 40 percent per year from $6.3 million in 2002 to $38.7 million in 2007. According to China's Ministry of Information, China's total software exports were $2 billion in 2003, up a third from 2002.

Beijing Software Testing Center (BSTC) was founded in July 2002 through cooperation of the Beijing Government Science and Technology Commission and the Beijing Products Quality Supervision and Inspection Institute. The primary functions of BSTC are to regulate the software development market, improve software product quality, and assist local companies to improve their research and development capabilities. With support from the Chinese government, BSTC also serves as the national software testing platform that is part of the "Touch Plan" of China's National Science and Technology Ministry.