Samsung Group announced Wednesday that Samsung estimated its sales in China at 25 billion US dollars this year.

China has become strategic center of Samsung's global business and Samsung will strengthen its efforts in the Chinese market to turn China from a manufacturing base into a strategic market, said sources with the company.

Statistics with the company show that Samsung's sales rose from 16.5 billion US dollars in 2003 to 24 billion US dollars last year, up 50 percent year-on-year.

In 2004, sales of Samsung in China accounted for 22 percent of the company's overseas sales, only after North America and Europe.

Samsung began business in China in 1992. Last year, its investment in China reached four billion US dollars with more than 50,000 employees. China has become Samsung's largest overseas base for investment.

Source: Xinhua