◇ Yum china(百胜中国) Holdings has newly broken off from its U.s. fast food giant parent Given the strength of its local rivals and a fluctuating market, it faces a battle to revive sales owth in the country. Since 2012 as it has opened over 1, 500 new stores, it has seen no extraordinary China revenues at its KFC, Pizza Hut and other restaurants. It is aiming for stronger growth in 2017, though China market is hard to predict. As part of Yum Brands, the China unit saw rapid sales growth of over 20% each year until 2012. Since then, it has struggled with food safety scares, slower economic growth, changing consumer tastes and stronger rivals o Another factor that affects its sales growth is the launch of food delivery apps, which attract consumers with cut-price deals. Yet another factor is the recent U.S. -China tensions over the South China Sea, which triggered boycott of its KFC Stores. In the United States, the vast majority of Yum stores are franchised. But for the next several years, Yum China will focus on building its own stores rather than via franchise partners in order to maximize returns and keep a strong grip on food safety