Alibaba is making a big play in the smartphone market

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Jason Lee/Reuters

Female delegates take "selfies" with their iPhones with Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma as he arrives for the Fifth Conference of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, December 6, 2014.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said in a statement on Monday it will buy a minority stake in domestic smartphone maker Meizu Technology Co for $590 million.

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Alibaba didn't disclose how much of the privately owned handset maker it will acquire.

The deal will help Alibaba push its mobile operating system within China through Meizu's handsets, while giving Meizu access to Alibaba's e-commerce sales channels and other resources, the companies said in a joint statement.

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(Reporting by Paul Carsten; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)

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