On the Street -- China Rejects Coke's Juice Bid March 18/ Global English -- China's Commerce Ministry rejected Coca-Cola Co.'s $2.5 billion bid to acquire the Chinese Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd, on anti-monopoly grounds, AP reported. The ministry's rejection came despite Coca-Cola's announcement in February that it would spend $2 billion in China over the next three years. Coca-Cola's offer for Huiyuan, announced September 3, stirred nationalist opposition to the foreign takeover of a major Chinese brand. Huiyuan's founders and major shareholders had endorsed the sale as a way for the firm to boost product development and marketing. A Coca-Cola spokesman in Hong Kong had no immediate comment, and Huiyuan also did not declare any comments after the Ministry's announcement, according to AP.