Sales of computers in China jumped 17.4 percent year-on-year in 2003 thanks to the fast-growing laptop sector, a Beijing-based information technology consulting firm said Tuesday.

Ccid consulting Co Ltd said that computer sales reached 12.95 million units in China last year while revenue grew 9.9 percent year-on-year to hit 92.2 billion yuan (US$11.1 billion).

"Computer sales in China were boosted last year by a rise in the sales of laptops despite a slower growth in the sales of desktops," CCID said in a report yesterday.

The number of laptops sold reached 1.26 million sets last year to notch a 42.4 percent growth compared with 2002. Desktop sales reached 11.41 million units and computer servers' sales reached 277,000 sets.

Desktops' revenue accounted for 74.22 percent of the total computer revenue in China last year, gaining 6.6 percent compared with that of 2002.

But the desktops' share of the market in terms of units dropped 1.71 percentage points to 88.13 percent last year.

Ccid also projected China's laptop market to see an average 20 percent growth in sales and revenue in following five years because Chinese consumers are seen to have stronger purchasing power and the current penetration rate of laptops is low compared with international level.

Ccid said Dell Inc, ASUSTeK Computer Inc and homegrown Legend Group Ltd performed well in the laptop business in China last year.

"Laptops account for only 10 percent of our computer sales and we expect the number will reach 30 percent in three years," said Su Yu, an official with Legend in a previous interview.

In the third quarter last year, Legend's shipments reached 1 million sets, a 16 percent growth year-on-year.

(Shanghai Daily February 14, 2004)