China Mobile eyes S. Africa but has not bid for MTN

HONG KONG, May 8 (Reuters) - China Mobile Ltd (0941.HK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (CHL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the world's biggest cellular carrier by users, said on Thursday that it is interested in the South Africa market but has not entered a bid for operator MTN (MTNJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which is the subject of takeover interest by India's Bharti Airtel (BRTI.BO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

"China Mobile has not joined the MTN bidding, but we are interested in the South African market and we are looking at various opportunities for entering that market," Chief Executive Wang Jianzhou told reporters following the firm's annual general meeting. (Reporting by Vinicy Chan; editing by Anne Marie Roantree)