Exclusive | Alibaba in talks with London bourse after Hong Kong snub

Alibaba, China's No 1 e-commerce firm, is considering a London listing as part of its potential US$15 billion share-sale plan.

Senior executives at the firm met UK officials during last week's visit to Hong Kong by London Mayor Boris Johnson, said sources with direct knowledge of the talks.

Johnson's deputy, Kit Malthouse, discussed a range of investment and market-related issues including a possible Alibaba listing, said one source with first-hand knowledge of the talks.

The source said Alibaba executives expressed "huge interest" in listing the firm on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), while Malthouse said he was open to a secondary listing in London.

Alibaba officials declined to comment on the meeting when contacted by the Post.

"As a matter of policy, we do not discuss the content of meetings with government leaders," a spokeswoman said.