Research in Motion Considering Chinese Factory

Canada's Research in Motion is considering opening a factory in China as the company expands its sales in the country. Speaking at a press conference in Hong Kong last Friday when it launched the BlackBerry Bold, Norm Lo, a vice-president of RIM Asia-Pacific said that the mainland market is "strategic" for the company.

"The mainland is a very strategic market for us and our relationship with China Mobile is for the long term," Mr Lo said. "We're certainly looking at the country as a potential production base."

Mr Lo declined to comment on any possible plans for a 3G model which would support the Chinese developed TD-SCDMA standard. As China Mobile is widely expected to be forced by the government to use that format though, it is an almost certainty that RIM will eventually have to support it.

Posted to the site on 29th July 2008