German pharmaceutical firm Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, is setting its sights on China's vast market and actively expanding its business operations across the country.
China's thriving market is attracting more international pharmaceutical companies, leading them to accelerate their expansion efforts as well as talent recruitment and development.
Mohammed Tawil, president of Boehringer Ingelheim Greater China, shared his views on the Chinese market and what the company has offered.
"China is a great country, and Shanghai is a really unique city. You find everything great, great culture, great food, nice entertainment and great infrastructure for really good business," he said.
During his one year and three-month journey in Shanghai, he has consistently done one thing -- finding the right person among the company's 4,000 employees in China.
Last July, Tawil launched a campaign called "Think China", an exchange plan that brings global talents to China and sends Chinese employees to other headquarters overseas.
"When they go back to their original positions at global or their headquarters, they can speak about China in their best possible way and then the understandings of China will be cross fertilized," he said.
Now, China is the second-largest pharmaceutical market in the world. With 21 percent of the population aged 60 and above, the market is of great importance to drug makers around the world.
"The Chinese market has a lot of peculiarities which is not found anywhere else in the market. So Chinese market, you have local competition, you have also a massive number of patients and you have clinical trials that needed to be executed in China itself," said Tawil.
German pharma giant aims to expand in China's unique, huge market
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
