Fortress, Hutchison Whampoa's consumer electronics retail arm, plans to open 17 new stores in Taiwan and Macau this year, before expanding into the mainland.
Ken Ng, Fortress' merchandise controller, said the company would open 15 stores in Taiwan, bringing the total there to 25.
It would also increase its stores in Macau to three from one by the end of the year.
The expansions will precede a foray into the mainland. 'We want to be able to leverage our existing network in China, such as ParknShop and Watsons, and differentiate ourselves in the mainland market by emphasising our sales services,' Mr Ng said.
Although many mainland tourists prefer to buy high-end consumer electronics such as digital cameras and mobile phones in Hong Kong because of the 10 per cent to 15 per cent saving they enjoy in the absence of import tariffs, Mr Ng said the company saw a market for trusted electronics retailers in the mainland.
'Many mainland tourists come to our shops in Hong Kong because they know the authenticity of the goods we sell is warranted,' said Mr Ng. He declined to give a timetable for mainland expansion.