BEIJING - China will set up a network platform in Qingdao, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province, to promote the development of microelectronics.

According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the public platform of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) will help local enterprises in the integrated circuit (IC) industry improve design efficiency and reduce development costs.

It will provide design, software, intellectual property rights, and technical training services for the firms.

The platform is expected to push forward development of the IC industry chain.