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GM says Chinese company bidding for Opel

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-08 15:17

BEIJING: Chinese automaker Beijing Automotive Industries Corp. has joined the bidding for General Motors Corp.'s German unit, Adam Opel GmbH, a GM spokeswoman said Wednesday.

BAIC made its bid while Detroit-based GM considers a proposal to sell Opel to Canadian auto part manufacturer Magna, said Maggie He, a spokeswoman for GM China. She said GM would not release details of the BAIC bid.

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Phone calls to BAIC spokespeople were not answered.

"It's very common if we get bids from other companies during the process," He said.

China's small but ambitious domestic automakers have made a series of foreign acquisitions in an effort to improve their technology and marketing.

Chinese buyers have acquired Britain's Rover and MG brands and one company bought a controlling stake in South Korea's Ssangyong Motor Co. A Chinese company is trying to acquire GM's Hummer unit.

GM says negotiations to sell Opel to Magna are progressing and should soon be complete.