Esri has established a research and development (R&D) centre in Beijing, China.

The centre will provide geographic information system (GIS) software development to support a number of sectors.

Esri's Chinese software engineers will develop core technologies for web and cloud-based mapping systems, advanced spatial information visualization, and mobile mapping solutions.

Scott Morehouse, Esri's director of software development said the firm has been supporting GIS users in China for over 20 years.

"The Esri (Beijing) Software Research and Development Center allows Esri to bring its expertise in advanced spatial technology, software development, and information management to China and provide localized software and services that meet the needs of GIS users," he said.

The R&D centre will employ local software developers, and Morehouse says he hopes to enable China's GIS community to extend its influence to Esri's global customer base.