China's Tongfang Computer System Group has unveiled what it claims is world's most secure notebook computer, designed specifically for high-end business users and developed with Intel.

The Fengrui X300 notebook was unveiled at Intel's Developer Forum in Beijing this week. That the western chip giant is prepared to publicly endorse a little-known Chinese computer manufacturer tells us a lot, both about the rapid evolution of China's computer industry and the desire of Intel to snuggle up close to the

The Fengrui X300 combines fingerprint recognition software and sophisticated encryption hardware which means that Confidential data stored on the notebook cannot be accessed even if the notebook itself or its hard disks are stolen.

Whatever the merits of this particular product, I suspect we will be hearing a lot more of this type of announcement from Chinese computer manufacturers as they seek to grow out of the cut-throat low-end PC business and demonstrate that they can be as innovative as bigger western and Asian competitors. A similar trend is happening in the mobile phone business.

Nevertheless, I suspect it will be a long time before Dell, Sony or HP start to get worried about upstart competitors in China and even longer before they get taken seriously by corporate PC buyers in the west.

More on Intel's China strategy here.