The companies, which also include oil giants Sinopec and PetroChina, said in separate statements that they would apply for delistings of their American Depository Shares from the New York Stock Exchange.

China and the United States have been in talks to resolve a long-running audit dispute that threatens to see Chinese companies kicked off American exchanges if they cannot comply with U.S. audit rules.

(Reporting by Samuel Shen; Editing by Hugh Lawson)