Chinese equipment vendor ZTE expects to announce an increase in annual profits of at least 50% when it reports full 2007 earnings results, according to an Unstrung report. The company claims its “aggressive expansion” overseas has helped it to boost 2007 net income by between 50-70% compared with 2006. ZTE says its international sales for the first nine months of 2007 more than double year-on-year, accounting for more than half of all revenues during that period. ZTE cites India, Africa and Southeast Asia as key growth markets and expects to generate US$1 billion in revenues in India during 2008.

However, the Unstrung report tempers ZTE’s claims with the fact that a 50% hike is based on a relatively poor previous year for the company, when it announced net income of US$107 million from revenues of US$3.2 billion. Unstrung adds that a 50% rise in profits would take ZTE to US$160 million.