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UPDATE 1-Lenovo seeks BRIC acquisition opportunities

Wed Mar 4, 2009 11:57pm EST

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(Adds chairman quotes)

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*Seeks acquisitions in BRIC markets

*Loans likely from domestic banks

*Expects to outperform peers

BEIJING, March 5 (Reuters) - Lenovo Group (0992.HK), the world's fourth-largest maker of personal computers, is searching for possible acquisitions in emerging markets, especially in Brazil, Russia, India and China, its chief executive said on Thursday.

Yang Yuanqing, speaking on the sidelines of China's annual parliament meeting in Beijing, also told Reuters overseas corporate customers were hesitant to purchase new computers.

"The overseas market will be very challenging this year, but we have high confidence to maintain ourselves in domestic markets," Yang said.

" ... in China we have government policy support to sell our products to rural markets," he said.

Separately, Lenovo's chairman, Liu Chuanzhi, said the company had adequate cash on hand, but additional bank loans would be helpful to support the company's acquisition strategy.

"We have no problem with our cash flow, but bank loans would help shore it up," Liu told reporters after the opening of the meeting.

However, that funding would most likely come from Chinese banks, as foreign banks are less willing to lend due to their own financial situation, Liu said.

Liu also said he believed Lenovo will outperform its peers this year in the face of challenges presented by the global financial crisis, but he did not elaborate. (Reporting by George Chen and Michael Wei; Writing by Kirby Chien; Editing by Ken Wills)



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