The decision by McDonald's to take greater control of its China business and expand aggressively in the face of a consumer slowdown and geopolitical tensions seems risky - but the potential pay-off is great, analysts say. Last month, the U.S.-based burger maker cut a deal to repurchase the 28% stake in its China business Carlyle Group took in 2017, giving it a 48% share in $6 billion worth of operations that include Hong Kong and Macau. One advantage for McDonald’s: its majority partner in the China business, CITIC, provides top-level political cover, said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel.