In the latest sign that China is becoming one of the most popular new markets for U.S. restaurant chains, Dunkin' Donuts plans to open its first store in Taiwan this week as part of a broader regional push that will also take it into the Chinese mainland, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The Canton, Mass.-based chain, which is owned by Dunkin' Brands Inc., plans to sign agreements in the next six months to open its coffee and donut shops in large Chinese cities, said the report.

In China, where tea is a dietary staple, Dunkin' Donuts plans to emphasize new tea drinks more than coffee when it first opens, then gradually play up its coffee line over time, said Jon Luther, the company's chief executive officer.

He did not specify how many stores the company plans to open there but described the number as "significant," according to the report.

Dunkin' Donuts said the donuts at its first Taiwan location will be tailored to local palates with flavors like pineapple, sweet potato and green apple. Mercuries & Associates, a local conglomerate, has secured the franchise rights from Dunkin' to develop 100 stores in Taiwan.

There are over 6,000 Dunkin' Donuts in 30 countries, including 1,700 international locations.

U.S. fast-food operators began opening stores in China in the late 1980s, and for most of the 1990s Yum Brands Inc.'s KFC and McDonald's Corp. were the only U.S. restaurant chains with a major presence in China.

But now more chains are laying plans to expand there so they can cash in on China's 1.3 billion population and growing economy, said the report.

Source: Xinhua