China Mobile is hoping to list in mainland China as soon as possible and plans to use “patience” in its overseas expansion strategy as it focuses on winning customers in rural areas of its home market. ”We think an early return to the domestic stock market would offer local investors many opportunities,” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Wang Jianzhou told Dow Jones Newswires. He said that the Hong Kong-listed operator has yet to set a timeframe for the domestic listing because “there are many specific issues still pending… but from our point of view, we’d like to see it happen as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile the world’s largest mobile operator by customer base is set to remain focused on the Chinese market whilst keeping an eye on other opportunities. “The problem now is that prices of phone companies in emerging markets are too expensive,” Bloomberg reports the operator’s CEO as stating. “We’re not in a hurry, we have patience.” Commenting on the company’s domestic plans, he explained that “Growing in big cities has become more difficult, therefore our focus is on mid- and small-sized cities and rural areas. Last year, more than 50% of new users came from rural areas. This year it will still be the case.” China Mobile has not made any purchases abroad since its US$284 million takeover of Pakistan’s Paktel Ltd last May.