Gome Electrical Appliances Holdings Ltd., China's largest home-appliance retailer, applied to the commerce ministry to buy the 35 percent of its retail chain it doesn't already own, company spokeswoman Sara Chan said yesterday.

The application didn't warrant a further public announcement after Gome in a July circular stated its intention to buy the stake from Chairman Wong Kwong Yu and, said Chan, senior finance manager. Wong was named China's richest businessman by Forbes in 2004.

China, under the terms of its World Trade Organisation entry agreement, agreed to allow full overseas ownership of retailers starting January 1. Gome, incorporated in Bermuda and listed in Hong Kong, is deemed a foreign company by China.

"After China lifted the restriction forbidding wholly owned foreign retailers, we decided to go ahead and apply," Chan said. ? Blloomberg