Apple Inc. (AAPL) said Monday its sale of iPhones in China isn't through an exclusive deal with China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. (CHU).

"I can confirm it is not an exclusive deal," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Harrison said in an e-mailed statement.

She declined, however, to say which other companies Apple is in talks with.

China Mobile Ltd. (CHL) Chairman Wang Jianzhou said earlier this month the company remains interested in offering Apple's iPhone in China.

The comments came after China Unicom Chairman Chang Xiaobing said Friday Unicom is likely to remain the only carrier in China to offer the iPhone because it operates on the wide band code division multiple access technology standard.

WCDMA is a third-generation wireless technology widely used in Asia and Europe.

Shares in China Unicom closed up 2.1% at HK$10.90. The Hang Seng Index ended down 1.9% at 19,724.

-By Lorraine Luk, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2802-7002; lorraine.luk@dowjones.com