Bloomberg News
SHENZHEN, China — Facebook Inc. said Tuesday it would set up an innovation hub in China to groom and support the nation’s developers and startups, the latest in a series of steps aimed at expanding its presence in the world’s largest consumer market.
Facebook’s social network has been blocked in China since 2009, leading the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company to pursue other initiatives to gain a foothold. In January, Facebook FB, +1.78% signed an agreement with Chinese hardware company Xiaomi Corp. 1810, -4.10% to produce a virtual reality headset only for the Chinese market.
Facebook’s new China hub will be located in Hangzhou, home to Chinese internet giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. BABA, +1.05% , the owner of China’s two most popular e-commerce sites and a major player in China’s mobile internet ecosystem.
The hub will offer training and workshops to help developers and entrepreneurs in the region innovate and grow, a Facebook spokeswoman said in a statement, and is similar to centers the company has established in countries including France, Brazil, and India.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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