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BEIJING, Aug 3 (Reuters) German sporting goods firm Adidas AG said on Thursday it would match rival Nike's China sales in two years as it aggressively expands in its fastest growing major market.

The world's second-largest sporting goods maker has said sales in China are expected to reach 1 billion euros by 2010, representing roughly a doubling of current sales.

''That is not completely out of range,'' Chief Executive and Chairman Herbert Hainer, told reporters, although he refused to provide financial details.

He responded affirmatively when asked by reporters about catching up with rival Nike in two years.

Adidas -- which says franchise stores in China could double to 5,000 by 2010 -- also plans to expand its distribution network for the newly acquired Reebok brand by adding 200-250 stores a year.

''We can definitely speed up Reebok's development in China,'' said the executive.

Reebok currently sells its products through a network of about 550 stores, which could reach as many as 2,000 within 5 to 6 years, said Hainer.

''We will invest even more in the future than in the past,'' he said, referring to Adidas's commitment in China.

Hainer said his trips to China will become more frequent as the 2008 Beijing Olympics nears, but added that the additional sales generated by the Olympics will not likely come close to the boost that the World Cup in Germany provided.

The company has said previously that it expected 2006 net income to rise about 30 percent to almost 500 million euros ($606 million), helped by the recently concluded World Cup.

Adidas, which bought Reebok earlier this year for $3.8 billion to take on sector leader Nike in the U.S. market, expects the deal to generate annual cost savings of 175 million euros from 2009.

REUTERS CS BD1728