China Makes A $43 Billion Bid For Syngenta

Published February 3, 2016 at 1:33 PM EST

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Chinese Ren Jianxin (Left), Chairman of ChemChina gestures next to Michel Demare, Chairman of Swiss farm chemicals giant Syngenta during a press conference to present Syngenta's annual results at the company's headquarters in Basel on February 3, 2016
State-owned China National Chemical Corp on February 3, 2016 offered $43 billion in an agreed takeover for Swiss pesticide and seed giant Syngenta, in what would be by far the biggest-ever overseas acquisition by a Chinese firm. ( MICHAEL BUHOLZER/AFP/Getty Images) — Chinese Ren Jianxin (Left), Chairman of ChemChina gestures next to Michel Demare, Chairman of Swiss farm chemicals giant Syngenta during a press conference to present Syngenta's annual results at the company's headquarters in Basel on February 3, 2016 State-owned China National Chemical Corp on February 3, 2016 offered $43 billion in an agreed takeover for Swiss pesticide and seed giant Syngenta, in what would be by far the biggest-ever overseas acquisition by a Chinese firm. ( MICHAEL BUHOLZER/AFP/Getty Images)

China’s state-owned chemical corporation ChemChina is making a $43 billion bid to buy the Swiss seeds and pesticides company Syngenta. If the sale goes through, it would be the largest foreign purchase by a Chinese firm ever.

It’s part of an effort by China to improve its agriculture, as the country’s growing middle class is able to pay more for food. Maggie Lake of CNN joins Here & Now‘s Jeremy Hobson with details.

Guest

Maggie Lake, business anchor and correspondent for CNN International. She tweets @maggielake.