China has no plan to split its second largest mobile carrier, China Unicom, or to regroup its telecommunication companies, reports Xinhua.

There has been speculation that China would split China Unicom and merge its global system for mobiles (GSM) business into China Mobile and code-division multiple access (CDMA) business into China Netcom.

"The media reports are groundless and irresponsible," said Du Yuanquan, a spokesperson of the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC).

He said SASAC was making in-depth investigations to modify concerned regulations on regrouping of state-owned companies.

The regrouping of telecom companies concerns the growth of China's telecom industry and there is no scheme at present, Du said.

China Unicom was set up 11 years ago to do away with monopoly and bring competition in the industry.

With net assets of 89.8 billion yuan ($10.85 billion) and an annual income of 72.56 billion yuan ($8.77 billion), China Unicom has grown to be one of the major competitors in the country's telecommunication market.

The company has become the world's third largest mobile carrier, the second largest CDMA operator and the only Chinese mainland telecom operator listed both in Hong Kong and New York.