09 Jan 2017 --- McDonald’s is to sell an 80 percent stake of its business in China and Hong Kong to a group led by the Chinese state-owned investment group Citic. The sale underlines the growing desire of China’s state-backed organizations to play an increasingly influential role in the food industry and comes as state-controlled China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina)looks to push through its $43bn proposed acquisition of Switzerland’s Syngenta.