Nokia says Greater China sales grew 39% in 2006

The world’s top cellphone maker, Nokia (NYSE: NOK), said sales in its China region — including China, Hong Kong and Taiwan — grew 39 percent in 2006 from a year earlier to more than 5.3 billion euros ($6.91 billion), amid strong export sales and expansion into rural markets.

Nokia’s export sales out of China rose 67 percent to 4.8 billion euros over the same period, the company said in a statement sent to Reuters on Friday. It added that domestic China sales came to more than 35 billion yuan ($4.5 billion).

China has been Nokia’s single largest market since 2005 and the company won network expansion contracts from provinces Guangdong, Hunan and Sichuan last year, the statement said.

"Nokia’s market share is now greater than 35 percent in mainland China," said Colin Giles, Senior Vice President of Nokia customer and market operations, China Area.

Source: Reuters

Brilliant, way to go Nokia!