TRIPOLI -- A Chinese telecom company launched a full-day workshop Monday with Almadar operator engineers, aimed at jointly improving the quality of communication and internet services in Libya.

Almadar, the largest operator in Libya, has over two thirds of the country's 6 million population as its customers.

Almadar's project manager Abdelbast Alforty hailed China's ZTE Co as an important strategic telecommunication and internet services contractor in Libyan market, especially in the field of electronic surveillance projects, and data transmission by the use of fiber optic technology.

Meanwhile, Wang Jun, general-manager of ZTE's Libyan Branch, said Libya will be a great opportunity for his company as the country, which has gone through a civil war last year, "needs specialized companies for working on telecommunication sector development."

ZTE is now competing with five other foreign companies to win a contract to improve the speed of data transfer, mobile phone and internet services in Libya.

ZTE, founded in 1985, offers telecommunications services, network solutions and data transfer technologies, and works with 130 operators in all continents of the world.