IBM has announced plans to completely close its research and development operation in China. The US tech company has faced challenges growing in the Chinese market, and has seen a dip in demand for its hardware. According to reports, IBM’s market share in China has fallen in recent years, due to a push to support more domestic brands. IBM reported its revenue dropped nearly 20-percent last year. Also in the report, an IBM executive told employees R&D functions will move to other overseas facilities. In a statement, a spokesperson said these changes would not impact its ability to support clients in the greater China region.