"China will be as important for us as the United States," SAP's co-Chief Executive Jim Hagemann Snabe told the paper, according to an advance extract.

Snabe said SAP wants to open the Chinese market by securing a deal with authorities to allow cloud computing services.

"We want to find a solution with Chinese authorities this year if possible," Snabe told the paper.

As part of SAP's growth strategy, it plans to invest around $2 billion in China by 2015.

(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)