China's leading maker of telecom equipment, ZTE is reportedly among the candidates for a possible partnership with German electronics giant Siemens to make mobile phone handsets.

The weekly business magazine, WirtschaftsWoche, reports ZTE is already looking at Siemens' books as part of the so-called due diligence process, which involves investigation and evaluation in advance of the deal.

ZTE makes mobile phone handsets and also offers infrastructure solutions for fixed-line and mobile networks.

So far it has only made handsets for the Chinese market.

The list of potential tie-up partners for Siemens' loss-making mobile phone business is growing and already includes two other Chinese firms, Ningbo Bird and Huawei, South Korean group LG Electronics and Japan's NEC.

(CRI.com February 17, 2005)