Chinese cell-phone producers HTC and ZTE may join in the race to buy RIM along with Samsung and LG after both showed interest in the Ontario-based Blackberry manufacturer.

A previous report said Samsung was poised to buy RIM. RIM shares soared more than 10 percent over the potential takeover, but later fell after Samsung backed out.

Delays in new product rollouts and a slump in profits have sapped RIM's market confidence, but the company is still worth as much as US$9 billion.

Analysts said RIM is a big lure to HTC and ZTE who don't have their own mobile platform. South Korea-based Samsung, which already sells phones which operate under their own platform, was more interested in acquiring RIM's software.

It is predicted that RIM will announce a final acquisition deal within three months.

China's business press carried the story above on Thursday.

Contact the writer of this story at: hes@china.org.cn.