China Reform Holdings Corp., an investment firm charged with revamping state-owned enterprises, is in advanced talks to join China National Chemical Corp.’s proposed $43 billion purchase of Syngenta AG, people with knowledge of the matter said.
ChemChina has also been holding discussions with several other investors that could join its acquisition of the Swiss seeds maker, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. Other Chinese state-backed entities, as well as sovereign funds from Asia and other parts of the world, have expressed interest in taking part in the deal, one person said.
The administration of President Xi Jinping has pledged to overhaul China’s sprawling $16 trillion state sector by 2020, as he seeks to shore up an economy that grew last year at its slowest pace in a quarter century. China said in September it wants to broaden the shareholder base of government enterprises by bringing in private capital and directing state-owned funds to invest in strategic industries.