China investors ponder bid for UK's Pru: report

The billionaire investors had backed Prudential's failed $35 billion bid for AIA Group, the Asian arm of American insurer AIG , and later held talks on taking a strategic stake in AIA, the newspaper said.

They could still take a sizeable stake in AIA, which is planning to float in Hong Kong, and are also examining other options, including a deal to take control of Prudential's Asian business instead, the newspaper said.

Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun Group, Fred Hu, former chairman of Goldman Sachs in Greater China, and Shan Weijian, chairman and chief executive of Pacific Alliance Group, were said to have been involved in the discussions, the Sunday Times said.

Senior sources at Prudential told the newspaper they were aware of the potential interest, but there had not been any discussions about a deal.

Prudential declined to comment on the report.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by David Holmes)