KONKA Group Co, the Chinese television and mobile-phone maker part owned by France's Thomson SA, doubled its profit in 2007 as rising wages boosted consumer spending in the nation.

Net income climbed to 209.2 million yuan (US$29.9 million), or 0.348 yuan a share, from 102.6 million yuan, or 0.170 yuan, a year earlier, the company said yesterday in a statement to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Sales fell 4.4 percent to 12.2 billion yuan. Sales of liquid-crystal display TVs in China rose 83 percent last year from 2006, according to researcher DisplaySearch. A record 86.2 million Chinese consumers signed up for mobile-phone services in 2007, spurring sales of Shenzhen-based Konka's handsets.