Fiat <FIA.MI> is in talks with China's Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group over technical cooperation, Automotive News said on its website, as the Italian car maker strives to progress in the world's No.2 auto market.

"We have discussed technical cooperation with Guangzhou Automobile," Paolo Arpellino, Fiat's chief of China operations, told Automotive News China, according to the magazine's website.

Fiat in Italy was not immediately available to comment.

Guangzhou would be a third partner for Fiat in China.

Fiat's current deal to set up a car manufacturing venture in the country with Chery Automobile Co, China's fourth-largest car maker, continued satisfactorily, Arpellino added.

Automotive News quoted people familiar with the matter saying Fiat could sell one of its existing platforms to Guangzhou Auto.

Arpellino added that Fiat was open to other deals in China.

"We are always open to other partnerships and exploring opportunities under any possible form in a market as important as China," he said on the website.

Fiat has made little headway in China, where General Motors <GM.N> and Volkswagen <VOWG.DE> have been reaping hefty profits.

Late last year, Fiat pulled out of a loss making car venture with Nanjing Automobile after the firm merged with SAIC Motor.