Iconic American Companies Owned by Chinese Investors

PankajOctober 17, 2023

24. Riot Games Inc

Headquarters: Los Angeles
Bought By: Tencent Holdings Ltd
Headquarters: Shenzhen, China

Riot Games is best known as the creator of League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle extravaganza that pits users against each other. The game debuted in 2009 and gained a lot of traction, becoming the company’s best-known product. Although Tencent and Riot had been partners for many years, Tencent upped the ante in 2015.
Riot Games Inc ©Piotr Swat / Shutterstock.com
The company bought the rest of the stakes that it didn’t own, making it Riot’s parent company and giving it full creative control. Prior to that, Tencent still owned 93% of the business, so it seemed like a natural progression. Riot Games is worth $6 billion.

25. Uber Technologies Inc

Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Bought By: Baidu Inc
Headquarters: Beijing, China

Grabbing a cab was made even easier when Uber rolled around, allowing users to book a ride with just a touch of a button. It was created by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick in 2009, before going on to become a multi-billion-dollar business and a household name across the world.

In 2014, Chinese internet-search titan Baidu Inc. made a big investment of over $600 million to help Uber expand into China. The partnership was mutually beneficial, as Baidu wanted to use Uber to grow its mobile payment service. It was a match made in heaven.

26. Chicken of the Sea

Headquarters: San Diego, California
Bought By: Thai Union Group (partly owned by Shanghai Kaichuang Marine International)
Headquarters: Shanghai, China

Based in San Diego, California, Tri-Union Seafoods, better known by its brand name, “Chicken of the Sea,” is a leading provider of seafood, including the iconic canned tuna beloved by American families.

It is part of the Thai Union Group, which counts among its significant shareholders Shanghai Kaichuang Marine International, a renowned deep-sea fishing firm located in Shanghai, China. This connection between these entities underscores the extensive global ties and intricate cross-country ownerships in the seafood industry, where Chinese investors are increasingly becoming dominant players.

27. GNC

Headquarters: Pittsburgh, PA
Bought By: CITIC
Headquarters: Beijing

GNC has enjoyed a prime position in the health food market for decades. The company dates all the way back to 1935 but has faced its fair share of tough times over the past few years with steadily decreasing numbers. In 2018, Chinese company CITIC Capital bought 40% of GNC for $300 million.

The Harbin Pharmaceutical Group Holding Co. is the name behind the purchase, but they’re controlled by CITIC. They hoped the purchase would open up doors for a joint venture in China that’ would be beneficial to everyone involved. GNC was positive sales would be boosted in

28. Microsoft Corp (Feature Phone Business)

Headquarters: Redmond, Washington
Bought By: FIH Mobile Ltd, HMD Global
Headquarters: Tucheng District, New Taipei

Today, Microsoft Corp is a gargantuan business with several different focuses. However, back in 2016, the company decided to ditch the entry-level feature phone side of its production to FIH Mobile Ltd. The deal brought in $350 million, which is still a relatively small change to Microsoft.

Instead of cutting jobs, all 4,500 Microsoft employees were given the opportunity to transfer to join FIH in the new direction of the business. Microsoft continued to develop other mobile phones though, including the Lumia line and other existing projects as well as partnerships with brands like Acer and Alcatel.

29. Alliance HealthCare Services Inc

Headquarters: Irvine, California
Bought By: Fujian Thai Hot Investment Co Ltd
Headquarters: Fujian, China

Alliance HealthCare Services have provided vital services in the sector for years, which probably made it more appealing to Fujian Thai Hot Investment in 2016. Alliance announced the new partnership after FTHI purchased a 51% stake in the company.

“We are thrilled to welcome our new partner and look forward to collaborating with our new Board Chairman Qisen Huang as well as Mr. Feng and Dr. Zhang as new Board members. Supported by leadership from Fujian Thai Hot, our team remains focused on executing against our long-term strategic growth plan, improving the long-term profitability of our business and enhancing the value proposition we provide to our customers.”