CNOOC's 2005 attempt to take over Unocal was dubbed by some Chinese media as "Acquisition of the Century", as the $18.5 billion bid was the largest-ever overseas acquisition by a Chinese company. CNOOC eventually withdrew its offer after Chevron joined the bidding war and political sentiment in the U.S. Congress became hostile. This paper analyzes the competitive bidding process and provides a strategic review. CNOOC's advantages in the acquisition included its international expertise, financing capability, access to the growing Chinese market, and its willingness to retain Unocal staff after the merger. The main challenges were corporate governance, especially the understanding of the role of the board and the management of political risk in the U.S. In hindsight a pledge to divest Unocal's U.S. assets and not to give any impression of using subsidized loans could have helped deflect some political criticisms. Eventually, the U.S. government published the required energy security study in 2006 and it provided no support to the political concerns of the Congress.
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