AVIC Group International Inc has joined with Chinese and Japanese companies to develop a 200,000-subscriber global service mobile telecommunications network in China’s Hebei Province. AVIC said it would own a 31% interest in the joint venture, with Hebei United Telecommunications Equipment Co holding 29.4%, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp 20%, and Itochu Corp 19.6%. Hebei United is 85%-owned by Beijing Catch, AVIC’s principal beneficial shareholder and a founding member of Chia Unicom. AVIC said the venture will be entitled to 78% of profits generated by the network, which will be operated by the Chinese carrier, China United Telecommunications Corp. Network construction and testing is expected to be completed within a year.
