During an exclusive interview with People's Daily Online at the China Development Forum (CDF) 2025 held in Beijing on March 23, Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Danone, reaffirmed his high confidence in China's economic trajectory and disclosed strategic plans for innovation-driven expansion in the world's second-largest economy.
"China is not only a major country in terms of population and economy but also an innovation hub. With such a huge economic base, China's economy continues to grow steadily. A growth rate of 5 percent means an annual increment equivalent to the economy of some European countries. This steady and sustained growth is impressive," he said.
"The best proof of our confidence in China's economy is our continuous investment. Danone is not only investing in research and innovation in China but also expanding our production bases. These investments serve not only the Chinese market but also the global market," he added.
When asked about Danone's investment layout in China by 2025, he revealed that Danone has an open research center in Shanghai, where they continuously conduct academic and clinical empirical research. In the future, Danone plans to further expand its research investment in China and establish a brand-new innovation center to serve not only the Chinese market, but also its broader global needs.
De Saint-Affrique also emphasized that China's innovative applications in fields such as artificial intelligence have brought many insights to Danone, and the company is driving the development of the entire industry based on its cutting-edge innovations in China.
In addition, the Danone CEO also stated that they will continue to expand production scale in China, making it an export base for Danone's high-end medical nutrition products.
"The Chinese government has taken a series of positive measures to boost consumption and stabilize foreign investment, which is undoubtedly good news for multinational companies like us. All policy initiatives to boost consumption and expand openness will help promote common prosperity and benefit global development," he mentioned.
With the continuous development of the "big health" industry, de Saint-Affrique believes Danone will continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market and contribute to the health and well-being of the Chinese people.
