US fast-food chain Burger King will rapidly expand its China operations in coming years, its parent company said, selling its controlling stake to form a new joint venture powered by hundreds of millions of dollars in local investment.

International brands have in recent years sought to pivot their strategies in the world's number two economy, where a persistent spending slump and increasingly digitalised services shape new consumption habits.

The Florida-based hamburger giant -- owned by Canadian multinational Restaurant Brands International (RBI) since 2014 -- entered the Chinese market in 2005.

Two decades later, Burger King still trails global rivals McDonald's and KFC in the vast consumer market.

The new joint venture, Burger King China, will receive $350 million in investment fro

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