Microsoft is turning to smaller Chinese cities to improve its growth prospect in the world's most populous country, as well as the fastest developing major economy.

The US company planned to increase its investment on research and development, and marketing in the second and third tier cities across the country, said Zhang Yaqin, Microsoft's corporate vice-president who leads research work in China.

His firm also aimed to recruit more talented Chinese, he told China Daily.

Microsoft currently employs more than 3,000 world-class scientists and experts on the Chinese mainland, with a significant portion working in Beijing, Zhang said in an interview with a Chinese internet portal.