ST Microelectronics projects that by 2015, the Chinese digital television market will grow from its current value of 60 billion RMB (US$ 7.2 billion; US$1=8.3 RMB) to a value of 500 billion RMB (US$ 60.4 billion). It also forecasts that the Chinese domestic market for digital television systems, terminals and peripherals will surpass a value of 100 million RMB (US$ 12.1 billion) by 2006. According to the company, ST Micro had a share of 72% in the 2004 global market for set-top box and decoder chips.

 

In October 2004, ST Micro entered into a joint-venture with Shanghai High Definition Digital Technology Innovation Centre, which belongs to Shanghai Jiao Tong University. This joint-venture is focused both on the Chinese and the international market and develops and provides digital televisions and middleware for set-top boxes.