Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) -- ZTE Corp., China’s second largest maker of equipment for mobile phone networks, said it is the “primary strategic partner” for Softbank Corp.’s new 4G network, a day after larger rival Huawei Technologies Co. announced its part in the same project.

ZTE is setting up a 4G network for Softbank that will cover more than 90 percent of the population in Japan, Shenzhen-based ZTE said in a statement today. Cross-town rival Huawei yesterday said its portion of the network will initially cover parts of Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.

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