BEIJING -- IBM's first Big Data Analytics Competitiveness Center in greater China officially opened in southwest China's Sichuan province, local authorities announced on Monday.

The center will help Mianyang become an intelligent city, according to the city's deputy mayor Zheng Lei.

Mianyang was approved to become a national pilot intelligent city in August. An intelligent city is an advanced form of urban development using IT infrastructure, innovation and applications to solve problems.

Miu Keyan, general manager of the greater China's analysis software department of IBM, said the big data operation and business involving the intelligent city program are both core businesses for the group.

The center was set up in June 2013 jointly by Mianyang technology and education startup community, IBM, Changhong Corp and Pactera to promote the intelligent city program, injecting power into encouraging more innovative enterprises.