BEIJING -- Uniqlo will launch a global flagship store in one of Beijing's leading fashion districts Saturday, a key step in its aggressive expansion strategy in China that aims to open 100 stores year.

The Sanlitun location is Uniqlo's first global flagship in the Chinese capital and the third in mainland China. It includes an exhibit featuring traditional embroidery from the Miao ethnic minority, which participates in one of Uniqlo's community service initiatives, and is also the first Chinese store to sell flowers.

"We are focused on the Chinese market," Jalin Wu, executive officer of brand operator Fast Retailing and chief marketing officer of Uniqlo Greater China, told reporters Friday.

"We aim to open 100 stores in the country a year, and to expand in regional cities as well," Wu said.

Social media heavily influences consumer trends in China. Wu said Uniqlo would work to further integrate brick-and-mortar sales with online tools like networking platforms to provide customers with a more convenient experience.

Including production partnerships, Uniqlo has been operating in China for about 30 years. It now has over 850 stores across about 180 Chinese cities, surpassing its presence at home in Japan.

It employs about 30,000 staff at its Chinese stores, and is responsible for 1 million jobs across its entire supply chain in the country, according to the brand.