SHANGHAI (Reuters) - MetLife's (MET.N: Quote, Profile , Research) China venture saidon Tuesday it will partner with Bank of Shanghai to boost itsinsurance sales in the country.

United MetLife Insurance Company Co., a 50/50 joint venturebetween MetLife, the top U.S. life insurer, and ShanghaiAlliance Investment Ltd., will sell its insurance productsthrough counters of the country's biggest city commerciallender, it said in an emailed statement.

Bank of Shanghai, in which HSBC Holdings Plc.(HSBA.L: Quote, Profile , Research)(0005.HK: Quote, Profile , Research) holds 8 percent, currently operates more than200 outlets in China, mostly in Shanghai, one of the country'smost wealthy cities.

MetLife has already teamed up with Chinese banks, includingIndustrial and Commercial Bank (601398.SS: Quote, Profile , Research)(1398.HK: Quote, Profile , Research) and PudongDevelopment Bank (600000.SS: Quote, Profile , Research), to help the New York-basedinsurer sell policies in China, United MetLife's chiefexecutive Bob Pei told Reuters in January.

MetLife became the largest life insurer in the UnitedStates after purchasing Travelers Life & Annuity from Citigroupfor $11.8 billion in July 2005.

Shanghai-based United MetLife was launched in 2006 with thehelp of Shanghai Alliance, a major investment arm of theShanghai city government. Shanghai Alliance is run by JiangMianheng, son of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

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