China Mobile is planning to open a new research and development center in Silicon Valley sometime next year, ChinaTechNews reports. It will be the first overseas facility for the carrier, which is hoping to find innovative ideas that will help the company drive data usage among customers. China Mobile is a member of the Open Handset Alliance and many believe it will be releasing an Android phone in China soon. There’s also been speculation that China Mobile will be the first Chinese operator to sell Apple’s iPhone, but that deal might fall through after the carrier asked Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) to remove the device’s 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities.

• China Mobile Preparing To Sell Stripped Down iPhone