Nokia, the world's top mobile phone maker, racked up sales and exports from Greater China worth more than Euro12 billion last year, with exports growing 30 per cent to reach Euro 6.2 billion.
Nokia sold 70.7 million mobile handsets in the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan last year, increasing its lead over rival brands, Nokia China chief executive Colin Giles said yesterday.
"China is a very strong market for us. The product mix is exceptional, " Mr. Giles told reporters visiting Nokia's sleek new headquarters in south Beijing.
Nokia commands more than 35 per cent of the China market, with Samsung Electronics and Motorola trailing on 13.2 and 11.7 per cent respectively, according to industry data provider Analysys International.
Greater China accounts for 13 per cent of Nokia's global sales, making it the largest single market globally for the Finnish mobile telephony giant.
Mr. Giles said Nokia was now awaiting the roll-out of third-generation (3G) cellular services to drive sales of the company's converged service "smart phones", but he did not know when the long-delayed move would happen.
Mainland radio said on Thursday that the restructuring of the domestic telecommunications industry might be unveiled as early as next month, which would help pave the way for Beijing to issue 3G licences.
Mr. Giles said he expected more mobile operators to be awarded licences in the mainland market, which would give operators a stronger role in shaping the industry.
"When 3G is introduced, infrastructure will need to be purchased, so there will definitely be an increase in infrastructure sales, " he added.
Greater China is already the largest market for Nokia's smart phones, but Mr. Giles said the popularity of Nokia's high-end models in Hong Kong, where 3G was already available, showed the commercial potential of advanced handsets in the mainland market.
"The replacement cycle in Hong Kong is the fastest in the world. Some people there change their phone every three months", he said.