China's biggest e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's affiliate Ant Financial Services Group has closed a $4.5 billion funding round, paving the way for a long-expected initial public offering (IPO).

U.S. Steel Corp has launched a campaign to prevent imports from China's largest steel producers, it said, the boldest step yet by a U.S. company as a trade brawl with the world's largest steel producer escalates.

China is set to pass a law governing foreign non-government organizations, after state media said legislators recommended it be put to a vote following adjustments to some provisions criticized by foreign governments and civil society groups.

Global investors are expected to pull $538 billion out of China's slowing economy in 2016, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) estimated, although the pace of outflows has dropped.

Chemical giant ChemChina approached BG Group with a possible bid late last year, just as Royal Dutch Shell was preparing to close a $52 billion deal to buy the British energy company, seven banking and industry sources with knowledge of the matter said.

A group of investors comprising sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp (CIC), KKR & Co and Baring Private Equity Asia is in talks to buy a controlling stake in Yum Brands Inc's (YUM.N) China unit, people familiar with the matter said.

Venture firm GGV Capital has raised $1.2 billion in fresh cash to back technology startups in the United States and China, the latest in a streak of new, billion-dollar-plus funds closed by venture capital firms.

Italy and Alibaba hope to boost the share of Italian wine sold on the Chinese e-commerce network 10-fold as part of wider moves to increase Italian wine exports to China where it still lags France and other wine-making peers.

China's Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Co Ltd is seeking to provide assurances to U.S. crane maker Terex Corp over its $3.4 billion offer, after reaching broad agreement on price, people familiar with the matter said.

China banned imports of gold and rare earths from North Korea as well as exports to the country of jet fuel and other oil products used to make rocket fuel, a move in line with new United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang.