Coca-Cola?Co has said it is obliged to make an offer to buy China's Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd after the head of the Chinese firm said the deal is drawing more opposition among Coke's board.

Coke said it is not aware of the views of any of its directors with respect to the offer and it has not received notification of any changes in terms of the offer, according to Huiyuan's statement on the Hong Kong exchange yesterday.

(Shanghai Daily March 4, 2009)