Nokia Siemens Networks aims to increase procurement value and recruit 10 percent more operational staff in China this year, despite the influence of a global financial crisis, the world's No. 3 telecommunications equipment maker said yesterday in Shanghai.

In 2009, Nokia Siemens will increase the procurement value in China from 10 billion yuan (US$1.6 billion) in 2008, said Herber Merz, a member of the company's executive board, who didn't give details.

"China is a significant market for us as the 3G era has finally arrived," Merz said in an interview in Shanghai.

In January, China issued 3G, or third generation, licenses to the three telcos - China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom.

To better serve the booming Chinese market, the firm aims to recruit 200 people this year in its operations division, which now has about 2,000 employees. In China, the firm employs 6,000 employees.

(Shanghai Daily May 8, 2009)