360 Business Security Group, a leading Chinese network security company, signed a strategic partnership on Tuesday with the Institute of Network Sciences and Cyberspace of Tsinghua University, in a bid to build the next-generation cybersecurity system and cultivate talent for the security industry.

The two sides will work together to construct a joint research center for cybersecurity, to conduct research and development on cutting-edge network security technologies.

Qi Xiangdong, chairman of 360 Business Security Group, said the company will invest at least 15 million yuan ($2.22 million) to carry out in-depth cooperation with Tsinghua University.

"As the construction of the next-generation of the internet is speeding up, we are facing new challenges in cybersecurity technologies," Qi added. "Companies need to work closely with research institutes, thus making breakthroughs and setting the pace of innovation in next-generation internet architecture systems."

Wu Jianping, director of the Institute of Network Sciences and Cyberspace of Tsinghua University and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, agreed.

"Tsinghua University has gained core internet technological advantages. And 360 Business Security Group has abundant big data resources and powerful data storage and computing capabilities. I believe the new joint center will foster a long-term relationship on cybersecurity research and development," Wu added.

Under the partnership, the two sides will focus on topics related to the next-generation network security system, the Internet Protocol version 6 and the next-generation communication protocol security, large-scale network security situation awareness, big data and artificial intelligence, and software vulnerability discovery and internet of things security. And the two will also cooperate in cybersecurity talent cultivation.

Wu Yunkun, president of 360 Enterprise Security Group, said to combat the increasing cyberattacks and cybercrimes, a growing army of professionals will have to be recruited.

"There will be a need for more professionals in the industry. And China will have to increase its spending to combat internet crimes and attacks," Wu said in a recent interview with China Daily.

China spends less than 1 percent of its total information technology-related investments on cybersecurity. In the United States the amount is 15 percent, while in Europe it is 10 percent.

"We need to beef up our input on cybersecurity, cultivate a group of leading cybersecurity firms, as well as develop sufficient talent for the security sector," Qi said.