High-end luxury brand 1436 has opened a flagship store in Shanghai to explore the market in Shanghai and the eastern area of China.

Japanese bathroom products and tiles manufacturer Inax has opened its largest Chinese flagship store in the Huaihai Road business area, Shanghai.

Japanese casual clothing brand Uniqlo has announced in Shanghai that the company has entered into strategic partnership with the Chinese online retail website Taobao.com, a subsidiary of the Chinese e-commerce group Alibaba, to open its Chinese Internet flagship store on Taobao.com.

Chinese electronics retailer Dazhong has announced plans to renovate its CCTV Tower flagship store into an electronics shopping mall, which is expected to be opened in the second half of April 2009.

The world's first Barbie flagship store will be opened in Shanghai in March 2009 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the doll.

Swedish apparel retailer H&M has announced plans to vigorously expand in the Chinese market during 2009 by opening five new specialty stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.