China's ongoing smart city project will boost information technology-related investment to $10.8 billion this year, industry research company IDC said on Tuesday.

Investments in public security, intellectual medical care and smart transportation systems "will surge" in 2012 as IT services, software and enterprise level personal computer sectors experience rapid growth, said IDC.

IT investment in smart city-related programs hit $9.2 billion last year.

More partnership deals or mergers and acquisitions among IT service providers are also foreseeable this year as more large Internet companies start to enter the market, according to the company.

China is considering adding another 50 pilot cities to the country's smart cities project over the next three months, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing government officials.

The government announced the first batch of 90 pilot cities in the project in January.

gaoyuan@chinadaily.com.cn