Despite turbulence, foreign firms keen on investment

Shanghai in particular major draw for setting up regional headquarters

Despite all the headwinds in global markets, foreign firms' interest in further tapping into the Chinese market seems unchanged, with US life sciences company Danaher Corp being among them.

In mid-March, Leica Microsystems, which became part of Danaher in 2005, signed agreements with Shanghai Jinqiao Group to invest 200 million yuan ($27 million) to expand a manufacturing and R&D base in Shanghai's Pudong New Area. About 60 percent of Leica Microsystems' business will realize localization once the expansion is completed next year.

In addition, Cytiva, a biotechnology company under Danaher, saw its Pudong-based China innovation center inaugurate a new cell culture development base in March with an investment of around 20 million yuan.