Xi'an-Janssen, China's largest pharmaceutical joint venture, is confident that it will always be the No 1 pharmaceutical company in China in terms of sales volume, research and development (R&D) and human resources.

Launched in 1985, the joint venture was set up by Belgium's Janssen, a subsidiary of US-based Johnson & Johnson, and Shaanxi Hanjiang Pharmaceutical Ltd and was the first pharmaceutical joint venture in western China.

"Our confidence is based on the sound co-operation between the two partners, technology and talent advantages, the support of the local government, as well as China's promising pharmaceuticals market and ever-increasing demands on reliable, safe and green pharmaceutical products," said Shen Rulin, the vice-president of X'ian-Janssen.

The sales volume of Xi'an-Janssen amounted to 2.56 billion yuan (US$308.4 million) last year, 70 times that of the 1989 figures of 36 million yuan (US$4.34 million).

Xi'an-Janssen is listed as one of China's Top 500. And the company earned awards for four consecutive years as one of the Top 10 Joint Ventures in China.

"Since 1989, we have introduced 22 patented pharmaceuticals and are conducting research and development on 15 new products with high technology content," said Shen.

The provincial government has issued policies on tax, industrial and commercial registration and administrative services, to support the development of the venture.

In 1999, the Chinese edition of Fortune Magazine voted Xi'an-Janssen one of the Top 10 Most Admired Joint Ventures in China.

So far, Xi'an-Janssen has moved its headquarters to Beijing and established 31 representative offices nationwide, with sales network covering 276 cities.

(China Daily May 26, 2004)