HONG KONG: Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp on Wednesday posted a record first-half net profit thanks to improving margins in its global business and revenue from new contracts to build China's next-generation telecom network.

The Shenzhen-based company said its first-half net profit rose 263 percent year-on-year to 1.13 billion yuan ($184 million), up from 310 million yuan a year earlier.

The result was in line with a preliminary first-half net profit of 1 billion yuan to 1.15 billion the company flagged in July.

In May, China Mobile, the world's largest carrier by subscribers, awarded a significant portion of its 4G next-generation telecom equipment contracts to ZTE, as well as rival Huawei Technologies.