Sept 19 (Reuters) - U.S. medical device maker GE

Healthcare ( GEHC ) is working with advisers to explore options

for its China unit including an outright sale, a person with

knowledge of the discussions said on Friday.

It is also looking at finding a partner in China or selling

a stake in the unit, said the person who declined to be

identified as the information was confidential.

The China unit would likely be valued in the billions of

dollars but discussions are still at early stages and a more

precise number is hard to pinpoint, the person said.

Bloomberg first reported on Thursday that GE Healthcare ( GEHC ) is

exploring options for its China unit including the sale of a

stake, citing people familiar with the matter.

GE Healthcare ( GEHC ), which has a market value of some $34 billion,

did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday

about whether it may sell the entire unit.

A spokesperson said on Thursday the company does not respond

to market rumors, adding that it remains committed to supporting

patients in China.

GE Healthcare ( GEHC ) makes CT and MRI scanners as well as range of

other devices in China and has six manufacturing bases there. It

saw revenue from the region decline by about 15% in 2024, hurt

by tariffs.

The company's chief financial officer said in July that GE

will continue to work with its suppliers to move capacity to

more tariff-friendly geographies.

Political tensions, fierce domestic competition as well as

China's slowing economic growth are eroding the confidence of

U.S. companies operating there.

Only 41% of U.S. firms were optimistic about their five-year

China business outlook, a drop of six percentage points from

last year, according to the survey published this month by the

American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. This was the weakest

level of optimism reported since the survey was introduced in

1999.

U.S. drugmaker Bristol Myers Squibb ( BMY ) said on Tuesday

it has signed an agreement to sell its 60% stake in a

pharmaceutical joint venture in China.