In 1999, the company began to investigate the international market, becoming a pioneer among Chinese private firms. In 2002, TCL took its first steps. In 2004, TCL acquired two French businesses: Thomson’s color TVs and Alcatel’s mobile phones. By 2005, more than 60,000 people were employed by the company across 80 countries and regions in Asia, America, Europe and Australasia. In 2006, TCL’s operating income outside China exceeded its domestic income, demonstrating just how multinational it had become.