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Tiffany & Co, the US jeweler, said it is pinpointing China as the place where it will open the most stores globally over the next three years, a move driven by robust sales growth in the market.

"China will rapidly become the place where we will have the greatest number of new stores. Within the next three years, the number will stand between 25 and 30," said Michael J. Kowalski, chairman of Tiffany & Co.

The New York-based company plans to open 14 stores during its current fiscal year, which ends January 2011, and four of those outlets will be in China.

"We will keep the same pace on store openings during the next fiscal year, but will invest more in China's second- and even third-tier cities," Kowalski said.

In the second quarter of 2010, Tiffany witnessed its fastest growth in China, with a 27 percent increase from the same period last year.

Kowalski expected sales in the Asia-Pacific region, led by China, could increase by a mid-20s percentage for the whole year.

At present, the jeweler has 12 retail stores and boutiques in the country, including three in Beijing, four in Shanghai and one in Chengdu.

Tiffany's new store at China World Shopping Mall in Beijing will open in November, with another in Kunming set to begin trading in December.

To attract as many customers as possible in its fastest-growing market, Tiffany unveiled its 2011 jewels and diamonds collections in Beijing on Oct 22 - the first time the brand has unveiled a major new collection outside its home market.

In contrast to other luxury brands, whose stores are operated by their Chinese distributors, all of Tiffany's boutiques in China are owned directly by the company, and Kowalski said they do not plan to involve a sales agency.

He said the company can manage the business even when entering an emerging market and will not compromise long-term value in pursuit of short-term benefits.

Currently, 97 percent of Tiffany stores around the world are operated directly by the company.

Tiffany also said China will surpass the United States to become the largest jewelry market in the world over the next five to 10 years.

Kowalski said the Chinese market is growing so rapidly that even three years ago he could never have anticipated opening 12 stores and seeing the country provide the company's biggest growth figures.

Questions:

1. What company is targeting China as the place where it will open the most stores over the next three years?

2. How many new stores are planned in China?

3. How many Tiffany stores are in China now?

Answers:

1. Tiffany & Co, the US jeweler.

2. Within the next three years, the number will stand between 25 and 30.

3. At present, the jeweler has 12 retail stores and boutiques in the country.

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（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.