The WPP network snatched the media planning and buying account in a shootout that is believed to have included Carat, local agency Mege and ZenithMedia, which handles the operator's national account.
MindShare Beijing managing director Quinn Taw said: "China Mobile personnel are really focused on this market and they have a terrific intuitive sense of what works and what doesn't on the media front. They grew up in this market and they know and have deep relationships with the media vendors and Government.
"Our challenge in the pitch was to add to their serious home-grown knowledge of the market, to show them how to use their existing media relationships in a way they never really thought about."
A creative pitch for China Mobile's 'customer care' business was also held, involving Leo Burnett, Publicis, Ogilvy & Mather and a local agency.
No decision has been reached, but it is understood that China Mobile is looking to relaunch its customer service.
Retaining customers and stemming the slide in the average revenue per user (APRU) will be crucial for the operator's nationwide business as new subscribers are signing up for cheaper, pre-paid packages. The operator is facing a fierce price battle with China Unicom, which is allowed to undercharge it by 10 per cent, at a time when the mainland's two fixed line operators China Telecom Corporation and China Netcom have been permitted to roll out a low-cost cellular service. Nationally, China Mobile has close to 130 million subscribers by the end of June and posted revenue of 76.77 billion yuan (US$9.3 billion), an increase of 39 per cent from the year earlier.