The symbol of SK Hynix is observed at its headquarters in Seongnam, South Korea, April 25, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL, Dec 22 (Reuters) – South Korea’s SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) stated on Wednesday it has received merger clearances from the Chinese antitrust authority for its acquisition of Intel Corp’s (INTC.O) NAND memory chip business, clearing the way for the world’s 2nd-biggest memory chip maker to completion of securing regulatory approvals from all 8 international locations.

The U.S. chip big very last Oct agreed to offer its NAND memory chip enterprise to SK Hynix for $9 billion, portion of a shift to divest to concentration on its smaller sized but extra worthwhile Optane memory organization which takes advantage of more innovative technological know-how.

“SK Hynix sincerely welcomes and appreciates the Condition Administration for Market Regulation’s merger clearance for the offer. SK Hynix will enhance its competitiveness of NAND Flash and SSD business enterprise by continuing the remaining submit-merger integration method,” the firm claimed in a statement.

China’s sector regulator stated on Wednesday that it experienced permitted the acquisition offer but with problems.

The concentration of the PCIe and SATA stable condition generate corporations just after the acquisition will have or could have a restrictive outcome on competitors in those marketplaces, so additional circumstances to this deal are wanted, China’s State Administration for Current market Regulation stated in a assertion.

Further problems include things like that SK Hynix should really not source PCIe and SATA business-class reliable condition travel solutions to China’s domestic marketplace at unreasonable price ranges.

The Chinese regulator also said Hynix ought to keep on to expand its output of PCIe and SATA enterprise-class reliable state generate solutions in five several years of the helpful transaction date.

The deal is SK Hynix’s biggest acquisition, as the Korean firm tries to strengthen its ability to create NAND chips which are utilized to retailer knowledge in smartphones and information centre servers and to beef up its pricing ability.

Analysts reported the offer will aid SK Hynix slender the gap with market place chief Samsung…