Kejian handsets hit HK and Macau market
30/5/2003 15:00
The first batch of domestically made Kejian handsets hit the market in
Hong Kong and Macau this week, after China Kejian Holdings Co Ltd completed
talks with Hong Kong telecom operators Hutchinson Telecom, CSL and SmarTone, the
eastday.com reported.
In tandem with its global strategy, Kejian sees the
sale as its first step into the overseas phone market, according to Lin Binsen,
Kejian's president assistant.
He said the phones marketed in Hong Kong
and Macau are K308 phones, a new model unveiled simultaneously on China's
mainland, Hong Kong and Macau. This is the only domestic cell phone that has
outlook design intellectual property rights in China.
Kejian has mulled
the global strategy for two years, Lin indicated.
As early as 2001, some
South Asian telecom operators contacted Kejian, offering to help sell its phones
there, Lin said. But Kejian put the plan aside then, as it was focusing on the
fledgling domestic market. Meanwhile, it wasn't confident of its technological
advantages on the world market.
The company has seen its brand awareness
growing overseas since last year, after it patronized the English football
league's Everton and sent Chinese players Li Tie and Li Weifeng to play in
English Prime League groups. Taking the advantage of its rising profile, Kejian
said this is a good time to tap the overseas market.
Another contributing
factor is Kejian's diminishing domestic market share due to fierce competition,
industry analysts pointed out.
The analysts say the room for expansion is
limited here and Kejian needs a larger space to carry out its
ambitions.
Kejian unveiled six new models in the first half of this year
and expects to launch some eight more by October.
Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news
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