HTC is reportedly developing its own operating system aimed at the Chinese market.

As Digital Spy said citing The Wall Street Journal, the Taiwanese smartphone maker is hoping the move will help boost dwindling sales of its Android handsets.

The operating system may include close integration with microblogging service Weibo in a bid to attract Chinese users.

An operating system from Taiwan would also help the Republic to reduce its reliance on Western companies.

The Chinese government said that the country's mobile firms were too dependent on Google's Android in March, and encouraged companies to develop their own software.

In July, the phone maker reported a 7% fall in shares, marking the lowest value in seven and a half years.