CISCO Systems is to invest US$45 million over the next three years to support reconstruction efforts in quake-hit Sichuan Province.

Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers attended a signing agreement with the Sichuan government. According to the agreement, Cisco will provide collaborative networking solutions, human expertise and resources towards reconstruction and redevelopment in Sichuan.

"The country is rapidly rebuilding as well as looking to the future and Cisco's commitment is to make a long-term and lasting public-private partnership contribution to a 21st-century education and healthcare system," said Chambers.

Cisco will help Sichuan develop advanced education and healthcare models, enabled by collaborative networked information technology and communications.

Meanwhile, Cisco will work in collaboration with healthcare officials to develop a network of hospitals and healthcare solutions. Healthcare providers will be able to collaborate across the province, with access to online patient health records and other key innovative solutions that will help deliver higher-quality care.

Other firms have continued to invest in Sichuan despite the earthquake, including Tencent, who announced a 550-million-yuan (US$80.2million) investment to build a research center.

Cisco announced last November it would invest US$16 billion within three to five years in China, and the figure is double the five-year investment since 2002.

Cisco also dismissed notions that the United States economy had greatly influencing the company's income. The company would continue "gaining market shares," thanks to the growth of emerging markets such as China, according to Chambers.