Ireland-based Saongroup.com, one of the world's leading online recruitment groups, yesterday announced it will invest US$5 million in job001.cn to form a partnership with the online recruitment firm based in Zhongshan in South China's Guangdong Province.

The move is seen as a bid to turn job001.cn into a flagship for online human resource services throughout southern China.

The Irish group will pour US$5 million into the Zhongshan-based online recruitment website with the aim of upgrading IT hardware and software, as well as developing new ways of profiting from recruiters and advertisers. Saongroup.com will also provide international consulting services, operational experience, and help the local firm formulate marketing strategy.

Leslie Buckley, chairman of Saongroup.com, said he is confident Zhongshan's online recruitment business has a strong future, based on rapid economic development in the province.

"Our co-operation with job001.cn will result in a powerful, professional and interactive platform for recruitment and employment for both businesses and individual users," he said.

The partnership is the Irish group's first step into the South China market. In the past six months, Saongroup.com has forged partnerships with SHjob.cn in Shanghai, MyJob.com.cn in Beijing and job1998.com in Tianjin.

Editor: Yan