When we first participated in the CIIE, we showcased our innovative drugs. Later, we also showcased products introduced by our partner companies. In the third stage, we found that the CIIE was an important opportunity to establish cooperation with governments across China, and as a result, we gained the opportunity to invest more in China and continuously expand our innovation landscape
The 6th China International Import Expo is about to open. Wang Lei, AstraZeneca's Global Executive Vice President, International Business and China President, recalled the process of "co growth" between enterprises and the Expo over the past six years. He said, "Since the first Expo, 'always optimistic about the Chinese market and persistently investing in China' has become the unchanged theme of AstraZeneca's participation in the Expo
The CIIE is an important platform and event for AstraZeneca to communicate, negotiate, cooperate, and sign contracts with governments across China, especially major economic belt provinces. It is also the starting point and focus of AstraZeneca's annual work, "explained Wang Lei." Every CIIE brings us heavyweight products and new cooperation projects
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of AstraZeneca's entry into the Chinese market. At this CIIE, AstraZeneca will showcase nearly 40 innovative drugs introduced to China over the past 30 years. In Wang Lei's view, six years of entering Bo has even added an "accelerator" to AstraZeneca at the Huafa Exhibition.
On November 3rd, the 6th China International Import and Export Fair is about to open, and the AstraZeneca booth has been completed. Photographed by Tang Yanjun, a journalist from China News Agency
In recent years, taking advantage of China's drug approval reform and other new policies, we have accelerated the landing of multiple global innovative drugs in China and have been included in medical insurance in a timely manner. Thanks to the China Import Expo, since 2019, AstraZeneca has successively established five regional headquarters in China, located in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Qingdao, promoting the integration of the entire medical industry chain. At the same time, we have invested in the construction of two production bases in Wuxi and Taizhou Committed to building a global demonstration smart factory and zero carbon factory Wang Lei said.
The transformation of the role from an "exhibitor" to an "investor" has enabled AstraZeneca to see the deep potential of the Chinese market. Encouraged by the continuous introduction of foreign investment policies and industrial innovation policies, AstraZeneca will make two additional investments in 2023, resulting in a total investment of $700 million in its Qingdao inhalation aerosol production and supply base.
At this CIIE, AstraZeneca will also announce new progress in its investment layout in China. By building a world-class production base, increasing its local research and development layout, further expanding regional cooperation in China, and accelerating China's innovation and going global, AstraZeneca will achieve dual empowerment both domestically and internationally.
This is an important measure for us to deeply layout our supply chain in China. During the epidemic, we saw the strong resilience of China's supply chain, so we believe that we should concentrate production capacity in China, continuously increase manufacturing, and build a local supply chain, "said Wang Lei." 'Producing and supplying China in China' has become a thing of the past, and the future trend is' producing and supplying the world in China '
In the current uncertain global economy, Wang Lei believes: "The certainty is very simple: China's market is the largest, China's supply chain is the best, China also has the world's best manufacturing and innovation talents, and AstraZeneca's development direction is consistent with China, which is determined and unchanged
It is worth mentioning that the in-depth development and expansion of its territory in China have also made AstraZeneca China headquarters take on the responsibility of serving as its headquarters for developing country markets. "We have comprehensively laid out research and development, production, commercialization, and even global strategic research and development cooperation, becoming truly rooted in China and operating globally," said Wang Lei.
He said that since the beginning of this year, almost every week AstraZeneca's global R&D personnel have visited the Chinese headquarters to exchange ideas on "Chinese innovation", and almost every month they have announced cooperation with new local companies. The intensive communication and cooperation have further highlighted AstraZeneca's role as a "bridge" in China. Empowering global R&D and management with China's digital innovation, and leveraging AstraZeneca's international experience and platform to help Chinese companies go global, will be its future mission.
The CIIE is a pioneering initiative in China, benefiting the world with the healthy development of the Chinese economy, "Wang Lei said." We have always been optimistic about the overall progress of the Chinese economy. In the next decade, AstraZeneca will closely embrace Chinese innovation, achieve a 'combination of Chinese and Western innovation', and achieve complementarity and win-win results