China Unicom, the mainland's sole CDMA mobile network operator, is gearing up its global expansion efforts in the hope of becoming a global class leader within five years.
The strategy will focus on taking small stakes in emerging markets carriers and collaborative efforts aimed at increasing CDMA operators' bargaining power with equipment vendors.
Unicom also aims to force technology standardisation and facilitate bulk handset purchases among operators in these markets, a move that if successful could squeeze the margins of handset makers.
China Unicom chairman Wang Jianzhou said the carrier was in talks to take a stake in Romania's POSTelecom, a new operator established last year by the country's postal service as part of a deregulation programme.
If successful, it would be China Unicom's first investment in a foreign carrier and Mr Wang said other investments could be made if opportunities arose.
'This is in line with the government policy of encouraging Chinese enterprises to seek international expansion,' he said.
