John Paczkowski at AllThingsD reports that Apple has finally won the approval that it has been looking for to sell the 3G iPad 2 in mainland China, which coincidentally (or maybe not so coincidentally!) has come just as Apple also announced that it is about to open its first retail store in Hong Kong’s International Finance Center shopping mall, reportedly on September 24. The decision from the Chinese government came through for Apple on Monday, when China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology certified the 3G iPad 2 for use on the networks in China. Paczkowski says that it is most likely that China Unicom will be Apple’s carrier partner in selling this latest iPad 2. Apparently the 3G iPad 2 has also popped up on Apple’s Chinese online store, with the message that it will be shipping in “two to three weeks.”

In another report on AllThingsD on the opening of the new Hong Kong Apple store, Paczkowski notes that Apple obviously sees China as its next big market, and that Apple is expected to open a sixth store in Shanghai later in the year as well. Indeed, back in June, during a July earnings call, Apple’s then acting, and now permanent CEO, Tim Cook, said of the Chinese marketplace: “I think there is incredible opportunity there.”

Source: 3G iPad 2 Approved for Sale in China - John Paczkowski - Mobile - AllThingsD
Apple Store Headed to Hong Kong This Quarter - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

Originally Posted by Maura

Tim Cook, said of the Chinese marketplace: “I think there is incredible opportunity there.”

Judging by all my wife's friends who've wanted us to bring/send them one, that is an understatement.