Beijing - US-based soft-drinks giant Coca-Cola Co said Wednesday that it had offered 2.4 billion dollars to buy China's Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd.

Coca-Cola said in a statement that it offered 12.20 Hong Kong dollars (1.56 US dollars) per share for Hong Kong-listed Huiyuan, or triple Huiyuan's last closing price of 4.14 Hong Kong dollars.

The takeover is subject to approval by Chinese regulators.

Beijing - China and Russia have shown interest in buying stakes in Germany's state-owned railway, Deutsche Bahn AG, in its initial public offering this year, the German finance minister said Tuesd

Tokyo - Japan's Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co on Friday unveiled a plan to build an electrodeposited copper foil factory in Malaysia as the company expects demands to rapidly grow in Asia.

The nonferrous metal company plans to invest about 15 billion yen (137.22 million dollars) for a new plant to be located next to an existing factory in Shah Alam, Selangor, the company said.

The firm plans to complete the first phase of construction and start operations with a monthly output of 700 tons of electrodeposited copper foil by the beginning of 2010, with an aim to expand its production capacity to total 1,200 tons.

The Japanese company is hoping to lead the market with a total production capacity of 2,800 tons per month at both facilities.

Tokyo - Japan's Mitsubishi Electric plans to triple its production capacity for high-efficiency solar cells by 2012, investing over 10 billion yen (91 million dollars), the economic daily Nikkei reported Wednesday.

The electronics company was responding to growing demand for renewable energy, triggered by high oil prices and concern over global warming.

Phnom Penh - Cambodia has welcomed an initial application by the Bank of India to open in Phnom Penh, local media reported Tuesday.

The Cambodia Daily newspaper quoted Finance Ministry director of investment Chan Sothy as saying the nationalized Indian bank, which has a presence in all the major trade centres of the world, applied to open in April.

The paper quoted Sothy as saying he and Finance Minister Keat Chhon met with outgoing Indian ambassador Aloke Sen Friday and "welcomed the Bank of India to open a branch in Cambodia."