Gigabyte Technology has reached a strategic agreement (http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article.asp?datePublish=2004/03/30&pages=A7&seq=36) with Foxconn Electronics (the registered trade name of Hon Hai Precision Industry) and will contract part of its motherboard orders to Foxconn, the Chinese-language newspapers Commercial Times and Economic Daily News (EDN) reported today.

The Gigabyte-Foxconn partnership is aimed at the industry leader Asustek Computer, which has set a plan, dubbed “Giant Lion,” to boost its motherboard shipments to 45 million units in 2004 from 30 million in 2003, according to the EDN report. DigiTimes reported (http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article3.asp?datePublish=2004/01/13&pages=A1&seq=1) earlier that Asustek aims to ship 40 million motherboards this year.