Nokia's global vice president James Lin has confirmed that the company has entered into serious negotiations with China Mobile to introduce its Ovi Store handset services to China, although the parties have not yet reached any public agreement, Sina Tech reported on Monday.

Lin said that all handsets customized for China Mobile will be pre-installed with the Mobile Market client application.

The world's leading phone supplier is expected to expand the territory of its online software store into China in cooperation with China Mobile, according to analysts.

The biggest Chinese mobile operator opened its own online application program store Mobile Market (Mmarket.com) for hours on August 11, 2009, when Netizens found the website contain many in-stores, including one named Nokia Ovi.

From August 7, Mobile Market has begun recruiting application programs applicable to the 40 types of key mobile terminals chosen by China Mobile, and 32 types of them are branded with Nokia, such as the Nokia N97.

Shan Chao, an analyst with the TMT market advisor BDA, believed that China Mobile was talking with Nokia and other cellphone makers about building the Mobile Market customer ends in their products. In return, the Chinese mobile operator is expected to set aside a special area in Mobile Market for Nokia's Ovi Store.

Nokia Greater China Internet Services Division vice president Huang Gawei revealed last month that Nokia is actively pooling resources in preparation to bring Ovi Store online in China.

Previous rumor had it that Nokia plans to launch its Ovi Store handset services on the Chinese mainland by the end of 2009.

China