Air Liquide, a France-based multinational company engaged in industrial gases, views the Chinese market from a long-term perspective and believes that it can play a role in China's innovation-led economic growth, said Rui Coelho, CEO of Air Liquide China, on Thursday.
Coelho told China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, that China's large and still-growing economy means there are a lot of opportunities to grow in the long run for multinational firms including Air Liquide.
As China continues to unleash new quality productive forces and shift to an innovation-led economic growth model, Air Liquide looks forward to playing a role in the country's green transition, he said.
"We [have been present] in China for more than 35 years, and we have a long-term perspective on China. Now it's more 4 to 5 percent growth. We still see under a large economy, lots of opportunities continue to grow. And Air Liquide continues to invest and believe in the long-term growth of China. High-quality productive forces still present lots of opportunities in high-end technology, and Air Liquide can play a role in that, such as energy transition and reducing carbon emissions," he said.
The interview took place on the sidelines of the sixth Qingdao Multinationals Summit (QMS), which held its opening ceremony on Thursday under the theme "Multinationals and China: Connecting the World for Win-Win Cooperation." Air Liquide was among the more than 460 multinational companies from 43 countries and regions participating in the three-day event.
Coelho highlighted the need for Air Liquide to engage with not only other global multinationals, but also the local government of Shandong which he says plays a key part in facilitating these enterprises' investment in China.
"I think the summit is an excellent opportunity to meet counterparts, [including not only] other business partners, but also local government which is a key element supporting our current investment in China. I think my expectation is to leave here with more ideas for investment that I came with. So, I think it's by talking to people, meeting counterparts that we get these new ideas, and we earn trust between businesses and local government," he said.
This year's Qingdao Multinationals Summit, co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Shandong Provincial People's Government, concludes on Friday.
French energy company upbeat about investment outlook in China
