Microsoft has signed an agreement with Taiwan's economics ministry to build a cloud computing research center on the island.

PCWorld.com quotes a joint statement from the companies describing the plan this way:

It aims to give Taiwanese computer makers a place to test out new hardware and software made to work with Microsoft products, including new cloud computing applications and services.

Many questions were left unanswered, including the size of the investment, size of the facility and number of employees the center would employ. Reuters, however, quotes CEO Steve Ballmer saying:

We need to keep our ability to really work with our ODM (original design manufacturing) and OEM (original equipment manufacturing) partners on what the devices will look like.