--中国商务部4月30日批准德国化工与制药巨头默克集团（Merck KGaA）26亿美元收购英国安智电子材料公司（AZ ElectronicMaterials）交易。
默克集团（Merck KGaA）创建于1668年，拥有约350年历史，是世界上历史最悠久的家族性医药化工企业，但鲜为人知的是，默克还是世界最大的平板显示器用液晶材料供应商，提供了全球60%的液晶材料，广泛用于LCD电视机、笔记本电脑、显示器、移动电话、智能手机等仪器与设备。
虽然制药行业的很多同行都在出售资产以专注于核心业务，但默克的这次收购凸显了其作为一家多元化集团的地位，显示其控股家族正试图分散投资风险。该公司财务总监Matthias Zachert去年在新闻发布会上表示：“我们的理念一直是永远不把所有鸡蛋放在一个篮子里。”
安智是一家全球领先的生产商和供应商，生产用于高速增长的电子市场的高品质、高纯度的特殊化学品材料。产品被广泛应用于集成电路、平板显示器、发光二极管和印刷行业。其中，光电子业务构成该公司今年上半年营收的32%。
分析师认为，安智的光电子业务将对默克的显示器业务构成补充。两公司有一些共同的客户，包括三星电子、索尼、松下和台湾群创光电(Innolux Corp)。默克财务总监Zachert表示，此项交易将使默克获得新的客户，比如韩国半导体制造商SK Hynix Inc。
英文原文：China approves Merck KGaA's takeover of AZ Electronic
(Reuters) - China's commerce ministry has approved with conditions German liquid crystal maker Merck KGaA's (MRCG.DE) planned $2.6 billion takeover of UK-listed AZ Electronic Materials (AZEM.L).
Merck, the world's largest maker of liquid crystals used in TVs and tablet and smartphone screens, agreed in December to buy peer AZ for $2.6 billion to expand its range of specialist chemicals for hi-tech gadgets.
The conditions include Merck having to report to the ministry any licensing deals it signs in China, and also prohibit Merck from forcing Chinese customers to buy products from both companies, the ministry said on Wednesday in a statement on its website.
Merck had said on April 18 that it had extended the offer period for the deal for a sixth time while it sought Chinese approval.
The new offer period is now 1200 GMT on May 2.
China is becoming increasingly influential in approving foreign takeover deals, as its fast-growing economy becomes an ever more important marketplace. It played a central role, for example, in the approval of Microsoft's (MSFT.O) purchase of Nokia's (NOK1V.HE) handset business.
AZ Electronic, which was originally part of German chemical company Hoechst AG, generates the bulk of its revenue in Asia.
Merck said on Wednesday it would update the market on Friday on its acquisition.
"We are very pleased that our constructive negotiations with MofCom (China's ministry of commerce) have led to a clearance of our planned acquisition of AZ Electronic Materials. We will thoroughly review the decision and update the market as planned on May 2, 2014," Merck said.