By staff reporter Ming Shuliang

China Mobile, the world's largest wireless carrier, is acquiring China's fixed-line unit, unveiling a long-waited telecoms reshuffle.

According to China Mobile's May 23 announcement, China Railcom, also known as China Tietong, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of China Mobile Group.

The plan also includes the merger of China Unicom's GSM mobile business and China Netcom Group to form a new China Unicom. And China Telecom Corp., the country's top fixed-line operator, will acquire China Unicom's CDMA mobile telephone business. More detailed plans have not yet been revealed.

The mergers will grant fixed-line operators China Telecom and Netcom access to the fast-growing mobile business, but increase competition for China Mobile.

Shares of China Telecom, China Netcom and China Unicom were suspended from trading on Friday morning in Hong Kong. Before the suspensions, China Telecom rose 6.98 percent to HK＄5.67, China Unicom rose 11.86 percent to HK＄18.48, and China Netcom rose 12.47 percent to HK＄27.05, all lifted by the restructuring plan.

In managerial changes, China Mobile will also take in a clutch of executives from smaller rivals.

Wang Jianzhou will stay on as China Mobile's current chairman, but Zhang Chunjiang, chairman of China Netcom, the smaller of the country's two fixed-line carriers, has been appointed party boss of China Mobile.

Three new vice-general managers of China Mobile include Li Zhengmao, now vice-president of China Mobile's sole rival China Unicom; Zhao Jibin, now vice-general manager of China Tietong; and Zhang Xiaotie, now vice-general manager of China Netcom.

According to China Mobile, the reshuffling will not affect its Hong Kong-listed subsidiary, China Mobile Ltd. (HKSE: 0941).