China's Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday it has not received an application from Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. over their Hummer deal.

Ministry spokesman Yao Jian made the remarks at a press conference responding to media reports.

The "Beijing Morning Post" and "Legal Evening" reported in early September that Tengzhong's application to buy Hummer was turned down by the ministry.

As far as he knew, Yao said, an application from Sichuan was submitted to "another" central government department, but not the Ministry of Commerce.

Sources with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) told Xinhua on Aug. 24 it was beyond their job scope to ratify Tengzhong's Hummer deal as the application said Tengzhong only planned to purchase Hummer's brand instead of assets or shares.

It should belong to service trade and thus was beyond the NDRC's job scope, the sources said.

The NDRC had replied to the Sichuan Development and Reform Commission about Tengzhong's Hummer deal, the sources said.

The Chengdu-based company signed a memorandum of understanding with GM in early June to buy Hummer, an American luxury automobile marque.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2009)