The long bidding war between various domestic and foreign financial institutions for Guangdong Development Bank looks to be drawing to a close, with an outcome likely by the end of the month, The Wall Street Journal reported. The midsize lender, based in southern China, is the subject of the biggest takeover battle in Chinese banking. There is a struggle between Citigroup Inc. of the U.S., Société Générale SA of France and Ping An Insurance of China, for the rare chance to gain management control of a Chinese bank, said the paper. The decision is currently in the hands of a six-member committee, which includes two people each from the Guangdong provincial government, the nation's central bank and the China Banking Regulatory Commission. The committee will likely choose a single candidate from the three bidders and then send its preferred candidate to the State Council, China's cabinet, for final approval.