UK publisher Thumbstar Games has signed a deal for what it labels the secure distribution of titles in China.

Thanks to an agreement signed with Viva Red Limited and China Telecom, it's now looking for content - both in terms of back catalogue and future releases for Java and smartphone.

Localisation and distribution will be through Viva Red's 189gameshop platform.

Going big

China Telecom is the country's third largest operator with over 130 million subscribers and a growth rate of 3 million users per month.

Listed on the New York and Hong Kong stock exchanges, it's still majority owned by the Chinese government.

"Our direct partnership with Viva Red Limited and China Telecom delivers a secure route to a previously unmapped and unprotected market," said CEO Gareth Edmondson.

"The terms of this landmark deal will enable developers across the globe to leverage existing and future IPs to a content-hungry audience, with the peace of mind that this state-backed partnership can provide the necessary copyright protection to encourage further market growth."