Sandisk Corporation, the world's largest flash data storage maker, said recently that it plans to work with three Chinese IT product distributors — Shanghai-based Genuine Electronic Co Ltd, Beijing-based Nice Gain Digital Co Ltd and Taiwan-based Princeton Technology C&C Corp — to open more than 1,000 retail outlets in China by the end of 2005 due to the popularity of digital cameras and third generation mobile handsets.

Together, the three partners own nearly 200 outlets, which are already selling SanDisk's products, including security digital memory card, memory stick card and USB flash drive.

Alex Chan, SanDisk's retail sales manager for Asian business said that it is the company's ambition to become a market leader in China in two years — having started its Chinese business last September, SanDisk is currently China's third- largest flash data storage brand.

"Storage-hungry portable communications and entertainment devices have become a daily necessity for an increasing number of Chinese business people and young consumers," said Nelson Chan, senior vice president & general manager of SanDisk. "With more functions integrated in handset pro-ducts and the implementation of 3G technology, the storage capacity of current mobile phones can't meet consumers' demand. That is why many handsets will need a memory card slot."