Willcom, one of the largest Little Smart service operators in Japan, says that it will cooperate with China's communications operator China Netcom on promoting the Personal Handset System within China.

Willcom says that it has signed with China Netcom and the two sides will carry out cooperation in the research and technology of some in-depth services including introducing the data communications service to the Chinese market.

Willcom will be responsible for providing technology support to China Netcom's Little Smart online data communications service and may also cooperate with China Netcom on the new generation PHS.

Originally from Japan, PHS is widely used in China and now has up to 100 million users in China.