SHANGHAI: Handset sales in the China market fell 12 percent on year to 34 million units in May, after experiencing a rebound of 14 percent to more than 40 million a month earlier.

China’s Communications Academy said that, despite the setback in total shipments, sales of 5G models reached 16 million units in May, thanks to the launch of new models.

Shipments of 5G models to the China market are likely to reach more than 60 million units in June, according to an industry estimate.

The declining domestic demand for mobile phones has affected the operations of local brands, including Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo.

As a result, Chinese brands are expected to increase their presence in overseas markets, including South-East Asia, India and Europe