Last year, a number of Chinese software companies joined forces with overseas vendors such as IBM Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel Corp, and Novell Inc. to form the China Open Source Software Promotion Alliance, China's first Open Source software organization. The objectives of the alliance include co-operative Linux development, promotion of Open Source development and application in China, driving exchanges and co-operation among Open Source communities in northeast Asia, and making contributions to the international Open Source community.