International Business Machines Corp., the world’s largest provider of computer services, plans to join Citigroup Inc.’s $3 billion bid for China’s Guangdong Development Bank, two people involved in the decision said.

IBM may buy 5% of the bank as part of the offer led by New York-based Citigroup, the people said, declining to be identified before an announcement. Citigroup, the biggest American bank, moved closer to winning control of Guangdong Development after it started exclusive talks last month, the people said.

The alliance may help Armonk, New York-based IBM win contracts from Guangdong Development to upgrade computer systems. China’s banks need to invest in information technology to improve risk management and tighten control over branches as they prepare for increased competition from global competitors.

“This is more than just a financial investment, giving them the best platform to enter into China,” a partner at CIF Consultants, which provides risk management and consulting services to financial institutions in Asia, Glenn Henricksen, said. “IBM needs to have the capacity to argue that they know the Chinese local environment as well as anybody else.” An IBM spokeswoman said the company would not comment. A Citigroup spokesman declined to comment and Guangdong Development spokeswoman Ai Liqun didn’t return calls seeking comment.