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To China’s many–and sometimes violent –iPhone fans, Apple says the love is mutual.

Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized the company’s focus on China during their earnings call on Tuesday, calling iPhone demand in the world’s largest mobile market “staggering.”

“I try to be very clear in the past and I’ll do so again that we have a ton more energy in the China market today” than in other emerging geographies, Mr. Cook said, as the company announced its highest quarterly revenue and earnings in history, the first quarter ending after the death of co-founder Steve Jobs.

“That doesn’t mean that there is a lack of effort or focus on the others. It just means that it’s less than what we’re investing in China today,” he said.

The company didn’t offer many details on its retail efforts in China this time, but had said last year that its China Apple Stores were receiving the most traffic and revenue on average than of any Apple Stores in the world.

Mr. Cook said Apple is “selling through our reseller stores and our online store” for the iPhone. The company stopped selling iPhones in its five retail stores in China this month shortly after launching the iPhone 4S because unruly customers in Beijing led police to seal off a store there. “The demand is off the charts.”

Though the company has had discussions with China’s other mobile carriers, Mr. Cook did not provide any information about when the iPhone might be launched with new partners in China. “China Unicom continues to be a very key partner,” he said. “I’ve got nothing to announce today on the expansion there.”

An iPhone compatible with the mobile network of China’ third-largest mobile carrier, China Telecom, cleared a key regulatory hurdle when it was awarded a network access license earlier this month.

Apple’s growing business has also attracted increasing scrutiny from environment and human rights activists, who have complained about conditions at its suppliers and criticized the company for a lack of transparency in its supply chain. Under this pressure, the company disclosed a list of 156 companies this month that represent more of its supply chain spending than ever before. Apple will also be opening its supply chain to an independent assessment by the the non-profit Fair Labor Association, the association said in a recent press release.

“China is an extremely important market for us and we continue to look at how to grow it further,” Mr. Cook said.

– Loretta Chao. Follower on Twitter @lorettac.

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Chinese people line up to buy iPhone 4S in a China Unicom store in the early morning on January 13, 2012 in Beijing, China.

NOTE: This post has been changed since it was first published. See below.

Chinese Apple fans upset over the company’s decision to temporarily halt sales of the iPhone 4S at its retail stores in China may soon have another way to get their hands on the device.

An iPhone compatible with the mobile network of China’ third-largest mobile carrier, China Telecom, has received a network access license, a regulatory website shows, marking a key step toward Apple being able to sell the phone to a broader audience in China.

The iPhone 4S is currently being sold in China through China Unicom, the country’s second-largest mobile carrier, as well as through Apple’s online store and resellers. Once Apple starts offering a version compatible with China Telecom’s network, the latest iteration of the device would presumably also be made available through China Telecom stores.

The license arrives as Apple aims to increase sales of its smartphones and iPad tablet computers in what has become a key growth market for the company. Offering an iPhone compatible with China Telecom technology will open up use of the device to tens of millions more Chinese mobile subscribers.

An iPhone supporting the CDMA-2000 mobile technology used by China Telecom received the license on Tuesday, the website of China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center showed. Vendors in China often start selling new handsets within weeks of devices receiving network access licenses. Some analysts expect China Telecom to start offering the iPhone in the coming months.

Apple and China Telecom both declined to comment.

China Telecom has previously expressed interest in offering Apple devices. In March last year, chairman Wang Xiaochu cited a confidential agreement with Apple as the reason he couldn’t comment on whether China Telecom would offer the iPhone or iPad. The country’s largest fixed-line operator and third-largest mobile operator by subscriber accounts, the company had 123.4 million mobile customers at the end of November, including 33.4 million users of its third-generation mobile services.

China Mobile, the world’s biggest carrier by subscriber accounts, has for years said it is talking to Apple about offering the iPhone. Its homegrown 3G mobile standard, TD-SCDMA, is not compatible with any current version of the Apple device.

CORRECTION: The iPhone 4S is being sold in China through China Unicom stores, Apple’s online store and authorized Apple resellers. A previous post mistakenly said the device was only available through China Unicom.

– Owen Fletcher. Follow him on Twitter @owenfletcher

China’s aggressive scalpers sell tickets for concerts and sporting events just like their U.S. counterparts do. But they also make a wider practice of scalping, sometimes devouring the supplies of train tickets, spots in line at crowded hospitals and even iPhones.

Some Chinese media reports blamed scuffles involving organized bands of scalpers for Apple’s decision not to open its flagship Beijing store on Friday, the day it was scheduled to start selling the new iPhone 4S. It wasn’t possible to verify those claims, but history suggests they’re highly plausible.

Scalpers have been a regular presence around the flagship Apple outlet in Beijing’s Sanlitun Village mall ever since the launch of the iPhone 4 in 2010, offering customers the chance to skip waiting in line in exchange for mark-ups that vary depending on demand. Some blamed scalpers for a scuffle that broke out at the same store in May as customers lined up to buy the white iPhone 4.

At least one unhappy Apple customer pelted the Sanlitun Apple store with a handful of eggs Friday morning, as a crowd of people waiting in line grew impatient when the store didn’t open. Soon afterward, several men from the crowd chased and attacked a man who had stepped in and claimed to be an employee of the shopping mall.

State-run Xinhua news agency said many of the people in line at the Sanlitun store had been hired by scalpers to wait for the phone to go on sale (in Chinese). Other media reports (in Chinese) said disputes occurred among scalpers as a crowd gathered outside the store Thursday evening.

Friday morning ended with police pushing the crowd away from the Apple store and cordoning it off.

Apple later said it was unable to open the Sanlitun store Friday “due to the large crowd.”

The company also said it would suspend sales of all iPhone models in its China retail stores “for the time being” to ensure the safety of its customers and employees. The iPhone 4S will still be available from resellers and mobile carrier China Unicom, Apple said. It added that its China stores had already sold out of iPhone 4S handsets.

Besides those who were waiting to buy the new iPhone, the identities of other people at the chaotic scene outside the Sanlitun store were also unclear. As police began to clear the area, plainclothes men with megaphones announced sales of the iPhone 4S wouldn’t start and everyone should go home. When asked if he was associated with the police or with Apple, one of the megaphone bearers would only describe his job simply: “I’m someone who shouts things for people.”

– Owen Fletcher. Follow him on Twitter @owenfletcher

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A large sign promoting the iPhone 4 in the background as shoppers browse products inside an Apple store in Beijing, on November 25, 2011.

China Telecom may soon become the second Chinese mobile carrier to offer the iPhone.

Both Apple and China Unicom, currently the country’s only carrier to offer the U.S. company’s smartphones, are scheduled to start selling the iPhone 4S in China on Friday, a move likely to further drive Apple’s growth in what has become a key market for the company.

Analysts expect that the version of the iPhone 4S due this week won’t work on China Telecom’s network. Just like AT&T and Verizon Wireless in the U.S., China Unicom and China Telecom use different wireless technologies. That means phones made for one usually don’t work on the other’s network.

But an Apple-made mobile phone that does use the same technology as China Telecom’s network has been approved by the national telecom regulator’s China Radio Management agency, which certifies radio-signal-emitting devices for use in the country, according to an agency website (in Chinese).

While the website only identifies the phone by a model number, A1387, it says the phone is compatible with “CDMA-2000,” the third-generation mobile technology used by China Telecom. An employee reached by phone at the agency on Monday confirmed that the device had been approved.

The approval doesn’t mean sales of the device are imminent. Mobile phones must also get other certifications, including a network access license, before being sold in China.

But it is a signpost. If Apple is indeed taking the phone through the usual regulatory steps, the process could be finished in a matter of weeks. Its completion would open the door to China Telecom partnering with Apple to offer the phone.

China Telecom is China’s largest fixed-line operator and third-largest mobile operator by subscriber accounts. The nation’s largest mobile operator, China Mobile, has repeatedly said it is in talks with Apple about also offering the iPhone in China, but its homegrown 3G mobile standard, TD-SCDMA, is not compatible with any current version of the Apple device.

An iPhone compatible with China Telecom’s network could attract buyers who don’t currently use the iPhone. China Telecom had 123 million mobile subscriber accounts at the end of November, including 33 million 3G accounts. But China Telecom’s expenses could also surge if it offers the iPhone, since it might heavily subsidize the phone’s retail price to attract mobile subscribers—just as China Unicom has done.

Jefferies analyst Cynthia Meng said Monday that she expects China Telecom to start offering the iPhone 4S sometime in the first quarter.

The phone that got the approval is also compatible with WCDMA technology, according to the agency website. That refers to the technology used by China Unicom, suggesting the model might work on either company’s network.

A China Telecom spokesman declined to comment on any talks about offering the iPhone. But company chairman Wang Xiaochu in March last year cited a confidential agreement with Apple as the reason he couldn’t comment on whether China Telecom would offer the iPhone or iPad. The company has also previously expressed interest in offering the devices.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

– Owen Fletcher. Follow him on Twitter @owenfletcher

Your daily roundup of the best of The Wall Street Journal’s coverage:

China Property Malaise Spreads to Furnishings: China’s property prices fell for the fourth straight month in December, adding further pressure on Chinese consumers at a time when both the domestic and global economy increasingly depend on their spending. (Subscriber content)

U.S. Lawmakers Ask for Huawei Probe: Six U.S. lawmakers have asked the State Department to investigate whether Chinese telecommunications-equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co. has violated U.S. sanctions on Iran by supplying it with sensitive communications technology that has been used for censorship. (Subscriber content)

China to Ease Yuan Clearing: China is developing a payment system that will make it more efficient for banks to clear yuan funds across its borders, in another move aimed at promoting the global use of the Chinese currency. (Subscriber content)

Audit Shows Local Financing Flaws: Chinese government auditors said they found more than 530 billion yuan (about $84.2 billion) worth of irregularities in local-government debt, in a potentially revealing but incomplete look at an increasingly important part of the nation’s financial system. (Subscriber content)

Fewer Hong Kong Property Deals: With the market volatile and mortgage rates rising, the number of property transactions in Hong Kong fell to a five-year low in 2011, the city’s largest real-estate agency said. (Free)

China Telecom to Launch U.K. Mobile Services: China Telecom plans to launch mobile services in the U.K. in the first quarter after securing a network deal with British mobile operator Everything Everywhere Ltd., as the Chinese company seeks to drive growth in its mobile business and tap overseas markets. (Subscriber content)

Apple Plans IPhone 4S Launch: Apple plans to launch its newest iPhone model in China on Jan. 13. (Bottom of article.) (Subscriber content)

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Workers in July cleared wreckage after a July 23 high-spreed train collision near Wenzhou.

Your daily roundup of the best of The Wall Street Journal’s coverage:

How Wenzhou’s Train Disaster Unfolded: Until seconds before he plowed the bullet-shaped nose of his locomotive into the rear of another in an accident that killed him and 39 others, Pan Yiheng had no idea he was whizzing along occupied track.

China’s Growth Continues to Slow: HSBC’s final purchasing managers index improved but remains in contraction, adding to evidence that growth continues to slow in the world’s second-largest economy.

Soho China Buys Stake in Shanghai Property: Soho China Ltd. agreed to buy a 50% stake in a high-profile but pricey plot of Shanghai real estate for four billion yuan (US$632 million) in a sign of how China’s real-estate crackdown is creating opportunities for the strongest property developers even as it pressures the rest.

Philippines’ Arroyo Pressured Over China Deal: Prosecutors on Thursday filed a second criminal case against former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, this time over an overpriced deal with a Chinese telecommunications giant that allegedly involved huge kickbacks.

MillwardBrown

Baidu, China’s 6th most valuable brand according to MillwardBrown.

China's Top 20 Brands in 2011

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A list of the top 20 most valuable brands in China as determined by MillwardBrown in the 2011 edition of "BrandZ Most Value Chinese Brands."

Outside of China, the majority of consumers can’t name a single Chinese brand.

According to research from agency Millward Brown and media company WPP on the top 50 most valuable Chinese brands, 83% of consumers beyond China’s borders couldn’t recall a Chinese brand or company.

That message is significant, given that China wants badly to create its own global brands, said Adrian Gonzalez, head of Greater China at Millward Brown. Chinese companies like appliance maker Haier and computer electronics company Lenovo that aspire to global household names will need to better distinguish themselves to become more recognizable to the world’s consumers, Mr. Gonzalez said.

At home, it’s a different story.

The brand study, which analyzed financial information of listed companies’ brands and paired it with data from a survey of 35,000 consumers, reveals that value of Chinese brands has grown by to $325 billion in the past year, up 16% from a year earlier.

The top Chinese brands–ranging from banks and telecommunications to fashion and food companies– are not only competitive in pricing, but are resonating and connecting emotionally with Chinese shoppers, the study said. Chinese companies are also narrowing the wide gap they once had with multi-national counterparts, which had for years built better trust and service for Chinese consumers.

Dairy giant Mengniu (18) and its rival Yi Li (22) have proven themselves, even after having been implicated in a 2008 scandal in which the chemical melamine added to milk caused the death of an infant and illnesses in 300,000 others, to be on par with foreign competitors, such as Swiss food company Nestle SA, and are offering products of similar quality, Mr. Gonzalez said. Technology companies, such as Sina (25) and Baidu (6), are creating new programs and products specific to Chinese needs.

Sina, which operates China’s most popular Weibo microblogging service, saw its brand value increase 244% compared with last year, according to the report.

“We’re seeing in many cases now that foreign companies feel the best way to succeed in China now is through acquiring a Chinese company,” Mr. Gonzalez said, adding that a decade ago that was not the case.

Results of the study reveal another shift occurring within China: a fall of the country’s state-owned enterprises. While China Mobile, the top Chinese brand, and state-owned banks still dominate the Chinese brand landscape, seven of the 14 brands on the list that lost ground with consumers were state-owned. China Mobile held on to its No. 1 ranking from last year but dropped 4% in value in 2011. Bank of China (4) fell 17%.

“Government protectionism is starting to wear thin,” the study said – a marked contrast with the study’s 2010 results.

Don’t expect the fall to transfer beyond state-companies, the study’s authors said. If there’s any wake up call to foreign brands—even outside of China— it’s that Chinese brands are on the rise.

To see a list of the top 20 Chinese brands and how much they’re worth, click on the slideshow tab above.

– Laurie Burkitt. Follow her on Twitter @lburkitt

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Your round up of the best of The Wall Street Journal’s China coverage over the weekend:

Huawei to Scale Back Business in Iran: Chinese telecom-equipment maker Huawei Technologies will scale back its business in Iran, following reports that Iranian police were using mobile-network technology to track down and arrest dissidents. (Subscriber Content)

Commodities Lose Allure: Increased speculation that a drop off in demand from China could herald the end of the boom in commodities prices is leading investors to search out more exotic plays, the prices of which are not necessarily linked to Chinese growth. (Free)

IMF Official Cites ‘Gaps’ in China Data: Chinese regulators need to improve the data they use to assess whether their banks could withstand a sudden economic downturn, the IMF’s director of monetary and capital markets said. (Subscriber Content)

China Deploys Patrols Along Mekong River: China, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar launched armed joint patrols along the Mekong River in response to the killing of 13 Chinese sailors in attacks on two cargo ships. (Subscriber Content)

Westinghouse Electric Company

Your round-up of the best of The Wall Street Journal’s China coverage from over the weekend:

China’s Nuclear Fears Could Lift U.S. Firms: A new emphasis on safety in nuclear power would likely mean a greater reliance on Western reactor technology and plant-management methods—and on Western providers of nuclear equipment and services. (Free)

Coke Says China Juice Drinks Aren’t Toxic: Coca-Cola said it has found no product quality issue with its Minute Maid Pulpy Super Milky juice drinks in China after a child who drank from a bottle died and three others fell sick. (Subscriber content)

China Unicom, China Telecom Ask Regulator to Halt Probe: China’s two major fixed-line network operators separately pledged to address problems they found and asked regulators to suspend an antitrust investigation. (Free)

China’s Central Bank Calls Property Market ‘Turning Point’: China’s central bank acknowledged for the first time that the country’s housing prices have reached a turning point, following a decline in property investment, land transaction volumes and prices. (Free)

 Our Guest Today
Stan Abrams is a Beijing-based lawyer with focuses on technology, intellectual property and Internet-related law issues. Mr. Abrams has extensive experience in foreign direct investment in China, having worked here for over 12 years. He also teaches law at Beijing’s Central University of Finance and Economics.

Transparency International, the Berlin-based anticorruption group, said the businesspeople it surveyed believe companies headquartered in China engage in bribery far more often than do others based just about anywhere else. China posted a score of 6.5 on a scale in which zero indicates that companies in a country use bribes all the time and 10 represents companies that never use bribery. Only Russia, at 6.1, posted a lower score among the 28 countries counted.

The group praised China’s willingness to toughen laws against such practices. Still, it said, the effort “also requires sufficient enforcement processes and resources, international cooperation and, moreover, the continued willingness of the authorities to treat this issue as an important priority.”

The results matched those of a similar survey in 2008, which also ranked Russia and China as the lowest and second-lowest respectively.

Chinese central government officials have acknowledged that corruption is a major impediment to the country’s continued economic development — Premier Wen Jiabao described it as “the greatest danger” facing the Communist Party in a speech delivered last year — and have toughened laws accordingly. A new law passed this year makes it a crime for Chinese citizens and companies to bribe foreign officials. Its regulators have begun probes of the telecommunications industry and the railway ministry, while its courts have also passed a number of tough judgments against those accused of corruption.

Still, corruption broadly remains a major issue. Transparency International said it found a correlation between corporate bribery within a country and how clean public officials are perceived to be. It cited its 2010 corruption-perception index, in which China was No. 78 out of 178 countries surveyed.

India, another economy closely watched for its anticorruption efforts, fared somewhat better. The index showed that India was the “most improved” when it comes to foreign bribery, earning a slightly higher score of 7.5, compared with 6.8 in the 2008 study.

But India is by no means corruption-free. Despite its improvement, India landed close to the bottom of the foreign bribery table – at No. 19, along with Taiwan and Turkey. And when it comes to local businesses, entrepreneurs regularly complain that corruption is one of the main obstacles to setting up a company here, as this recent article in The Wall Street Journal shows.

The Transparency International survey included results from surveys of more than 3,000 business executives between May and July. It said it surveyed at least 100 executives in each country except China, where it surveyed 87.

– Carlos Tejada and Margherita Stancati. Follow Carlos on Twitter @CRTejada. Follow Margherita @margheritamvs