The German electronics giant Siemens unveiled Tuesday two new Chinese partnerships in the areas of mobile telecommunications and energy to coincide with the visit in Berlin of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

Siemens said its mobile phones division ICM had signed a development and marketing contract with Chinese mobile handset maker, Ningbo Bird.

Ningbo Bird is to integrate Siemens components into its handsets and the two partners would jointly development end-user equipment for marketing under the Chinese brand-name.

In return, Ningbo Bird would open up its network of 30,000 shops all across in China to Siemens products.

"The partnership with Bird is part of our strategy to strengthen our position in china, the world's biggest mobile phone market," said ICM head Rudi Lamprecht.

China has more than 280 million mobile phone users, a figure that is expected to soar to 435 million by 2008..

At the same time, Siemens said it planned to set up a 50-50 energy joint venture with Chinese group XJ Electric.