(Yicai Global) Aug. 16 -- China's mobile phones have climbed to the top of the ladder in Russia, where one out of three handsets sells under a Chinese brand.

Huawei Technology's mobile phones took the gold, claiming 25 percent of Russia's market share in June,  followed by  Samsung Group at 23 percent and Apple at 12 percent. Chinese smartphones logged growth of 50 percent in the first half, state People's Daily reported today.

Chinese mobile phone brands have swallowed one-third of the Russian market in just one year from one-quarter in last year's first half. Their rapid success is attributable to delivery of quality products with powerful features at a competitive price.

Quality and innovation are increasingly shaping the core competitiveness of Chinese brands. With a focus on investment in mid- and long-term research and development and innovation, Chinese mobile handset makers have developed the Kirin 970 chip and other key technologies, which has changed Russian perceptions of Chinese mobile phones and thus helped them gain a foothold in the high-end consumer market.

The success of Chinese mobile phones in the country has also benefited from a good localization strategy. Their makers have differentiated brand positioning and carried out precise promotions in response to consumer demand from groups at varying salary levels in the country.

Huawei has attained an over 80 percent localization rate in its operations and sales and provided significant job opportunities to many talents in that market. It has also built a partnership with Russia's largest search engine Yandex  and the Savings Bank of the Russian Federation to foster strong alliances, said Ou Yiwei, president of Huawei's consumer business group for Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Chinese mobile phone brands also enjoya competitive edge in internet sales by vigorously cultivating online shopping habits among Russian users. Huawei, Xiaomi, and Lenovo Group have not only set up their own shopping websites, but also worked with major Russian e-commerce platforms to conduct online marketing and expand brand awareness and influence.

Editor: Ben Armour