Workers prepare for the opening of an Apple store in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Jan 23, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

Apple Inc has set up its first research and development center in China, with registered capital of 100 million yuan ($14.99 million), local government said.

The R&D unit is staffed with about 500 employees and its total investment will eventually scale up to 300 million yuan, according to the official WeChat account of Zhongguancun Science Park, a high-tech district in Beijing, where the center is located.

Apple declined to comment. But the administrative committee for Zhongguancun Science Park confirmed the news with media outlet Beijing Evening News.

The news came shortly after Apple CEO Tim Cook visited Beijing in August, promising to open its first independently-operated R&D center in China by the year's end.

The unit will focus on developing software and hardware for computers, telecommunication, video and other consumer electronics for Apple's customers in China and around the world.

Zhongguancun is the most intensive scientific, educational and talent resource base in China. It boasts almost 40 colleges and universities, like Peking University and Tsinghua University and more than 200 national (municipal) scientific institutions.