German automaker Daimler AG is seeking Chinese investors and is in talks with China Investment Corp for the sovereign wealth fund to acquire a stake in the auto company.

Daimler reportedly plans to sell a 5-10% stake to China Investment Corp, a sovereign wealth fund responsible for managing a portion of China’s foreign exchange reserves. If the transaction goes smoothly, the investment company will become the automaker’s largest shareholder.

Daimler’s share structure is complicated, with the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait as well as Japan’s Renault-Nissan Alliance among its shareholders.

Among them, an investment company in the United Arab Emirates is the largest shareholder of the automaker with a 9.1% stake, while the Kuwait government holds a 6.9% stake. In addition, the cross-shareholding between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler has grown to 3.1%.

Like the United States, China has become one of Daimler’s major markets. However, the automaker’s sales in Western Europe have dwindled due to the region’s sluggish economy.

东方早报2013年1月6日报道　据人民网消息， 近日有知情人爆料已确认中投(China Investment Corporation)即将购买戴姆勒4%～10%的股份，但奔驰中国的相关负责人对此事不置可否。

据了解，戴姆勒吸引中国投资与欧洲经济目前不景气有关。早在2011年7月份，戴姆勒CEO蔡澈就表示希望寻求来自中国的投资。2011年12月份，奔驰中国确认了戴姆勒正在寻找中国投资者。2012年2月份左右，外界盛传中投即将购买戴姆勒的股份。直到最近，有知情人爆料称，已确认中投的确将购买戴姆勒4%～10%的股份。

戴姆勒为梅赛德斯-奔驰的母公司，是全球第二大豪华车生产商。2009年3月底，阿联酋阿布扎比主权基金斥资19.5亿欧元购入戴姆勒9.1%的股权，成为戴姆勒当时的最大股东。2012年奔驰全球销量增长4.7%，达到132.0097万辆，创下历史新高，主要得益于美国销量的双位数增长。

中投成立于2007年9月29日，其资金来源于中国的国家外汇储备；成立初期的注册资本金为2000亿美元，是全球最大主权财富基金之一。

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