(Yicai) Oct. 30 -- In the next decade, AstraZeneca will combine international and Chinese innovation, the president of the Chinese arm of the UK pharmaceutical giant told Yicai and other media outlets.

The move will allow Chinese patients to use medicines from all over the world and vice versa, Wang Lei said.

Since the beginning of this year, AstraZeneca has expanded its investment in China twice. In March, it invested USD450 million to build an inhaler production base in the Qingdao National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. In August, it invested an additional USD250 million to increase its canning production capacity and build a new inhaler packaging production line, promoting Chinese factories to become an important part of the global pharmaceutical supply chain.

AstraZeneca sees China as the next important source of innovation, said He Jing, research and development head at AstraZeneca China.

"Only in this way can we have a steady stream of investment in innovation and pharmaceutical R&D into China, He noted. "Therefore, AstraZeneca builds and repeatedly expands its R&D centers in China to truly connect with Chinese innovation and transform it into a global solution."

"I think the China International Import Expo's influence is no less than that of the World Economic Forum," Wang pointed out.

AstraZeneca has been in China for 30 years and has attended the CIIE for each of the expo's six editions. Its success in China has also boosted Chinese medical innovation.

Editor: Futura Costaglione