Merck seeks collaboration with Chinese partners to turn invention into innovation

German sci-tech giant Merck has pledged closer collaboration with Chinese companies as the nation advances its innovative capabilities, a senior executive from the company said on Thursday.

Marc Horn, president of Merck China, said that China stands out as a global leader in innovation, driven by key strengths in several areas such as adaptability and scalability.

"Its remarkable adaptability allows for quick responses to market changes, while a culture of collaboration fosters creativity and progress. The focus on user-centricity ensures that inventions meet consumer needs, supported by a bold spirit of risk-taking and experimentation that encourages exploration of new ideas," Horn said.

"Additionally, scalability enables successful innovations to be rapidly expanded. Together, these attributes create a dynamic ecosystem that positions China at the forefront of global innovation … At Merck, we find ourselves in the sweet spot to both contribute to China's growing innovation ecosystem and to benefit from it, growing together with China," he said.

Data from the World Intellectual Property Organization shows that China has 26 of the world's 100 best science and technology clusters, ranking No 1 globally, followed by the United States and Germany.

"We do want to be part of this vibrant Chinese innovation system. We operate research and development labs and manufacturing sites all over China across our major business sectors of healthcare, life science and electronics. And this year, we expanded our M Lab in the Shanghai Technical Application and Testing Center to further support Chinese and international biopharmaceutical and biologics companies in developing novel drug therapies," Horn said.

At the China International Import Expo in November, the company's life science division signed a memorandum of understanding with Chengdu Eastern New Area in Sichuan province to enhance the capabilities of its Future Medical City.

Merck's increasing investment in China exemplifies an ongoing trend of foreign capital maintaining confidence in the country. Foreign direct investment on the Chinese mainland in actual use amounted to 693.21 billion yuan ($95.3 billion) from January to October, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

During the same period, 46,893 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide, representing a year-on-year growth of 11.8 percent, the ministry said.