HNA Group says sees no imminent changes to shareholding structure

By Elzio Barreto and Julie Zhu HONG KONG (Reuters) - HNA Group Co, one of the most acquisitive Chinese buyers of overseas assets, expects no changes to its shareholding structure in the near future, the head of the conglomerate's international unit said on Friday. HNA has been in the spotlight together with other Chinese conglomerates for the billions of dollars they have splashed on marquee real estate properties and global brands, as Beijing cracks downs on what it deems excessive deals. It has also faced questions over its shareholding structure and debt. "The reason why HNA group tries to be transparent is because we have nothing to hide. Transparency is the best policy," Wang Shuang, the group's chief investment officer and CEO of its international unit, told a conference in Hong Kong. The conglomerate issued an open letter in July to disclose its shareholding structure because it was getting a lot of questions from different people about its ownership, he added. Wang said the group has committed to such disclosures on a regular basis. Uncertainty over political and economic conditions has slowed the pace of outbound mergers and acquisitions from China, but HNA will continue to look for potential targets that could create value for the group, he added. Wang said HNA looks at many different companies before making an acquisition, with the success rate of deals at only 5 percent of what it examines. HNA Group is "in the best financial situation" today, he added. (Additional reporting by Kane Wu; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)