Qualcomm, the world's leading 3G mobile phone chipset supplier, plans to set up a research and development centre in Taiwan to help it tap China's growing market, a report said Sunday.

If realised, the plan would allow the US chip giant to bolster ties with local partners, the Economic Daily News said, adding that a company executive will come to Taipei for the purpose.

Qualcomm's local partners include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world's leading contract microchip manufacturer, and smartphone maker HTC, it said.

Qualcomm's revenues came in at more than 10 billion US dollars last year.

US software giant inaugurated a research centre in Taiwan in June focused on cloud computing, a new technology attracting significant interest among the island's high-tech firms.