China's telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, the country's largest privately-owned exporter of hi-tech products, saw its overseas sales exceed domestic sales in 2005, the Ministry of Commerce reported.

Last year, Huawei's contracted sales volume totaled 66.7 billion yuan (about 8.3 billion U.S. dollars), 58 percent of which was gained from its overseas services, according to ministry figures.

In 2005, Huawei's market share of NGN and IP-DSLAM technologies ranked number one in the world, and its 3G technology was commercially used in 18 countries and regions including the Netherlands, Portugal and Malaysia. Huawei has become a strategic cooperation partner with world-renowned telecom companies such as Telefonica and Vodafone.

The Ministry of Commerce attributed Huawei's success to its ongoing commitment to technological innovation, advanced research and development and protection of intellectual property rights.

Figures from the State Intellectual Property Office show Huawei has applied for the most patents in the country. By the end of 2005, Huawei had applied for a total of more than 10,000 patents, 90 percent of which were invention patents.

Source: Xinhua