SHANGHAI -- Apple Inc. on Tuesday opened its first Design and Development Accelerator in China in its latest drive to tap into the country's growing innovation prowess and vast market.

Located in Shanghai's Pudong New District, the project aims to help developers in China implement the latest Apple technologies and distribute their apps to their global customer base, the US tech firm said in a statement.

Apple said the accelerator would serve as a hub for Chinese developers and provide one-on-one consultations with the Apple team, as well as lectures, seminars and experimental activities.

As Apple's second Design and Development Accelerator worldwide, the Shanghai accelerator is more focused on helping developers improve their products, with the goal of benefiting 5,000 person-times per year, said Isabel Ge Mahe, Apple's vice president and managing director of Greater China Region.

"Developers here in China are leading the world with some of the most popular apps on the App Store, and we are proud to be providing this additional support for them," said Xie Enwei, Apple's head of developer relations of Greater China Region.

"From education to health to entertainment, the innovation we see here is incredible and we can't wait to see what these talented developers will come up with next," Xie said.

Chinese developers boast strong innovation capabilities, leading business models, excellent user experiences and growing ambitions to go global, Ge said, adding that the new accelerator testifies to Apple's commitment to help Chinese developers.

Since the App Store was launched in China in 2010, developers here have earned over 200 billion yuan (about $29 billion) through sales on Apple devices to customers around the world.