HEFEI -- China is an important driver of global economic growth and Corning Inc, one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, is confident about China's economic growth and its own development here, said Liu Zhifei, president and general manager of Corning Greater China.

The US glass and ceramics maker's history of development in China dates back to 1980 when its first sales office opened in this country. Today, the company has established 21 manufacturing facilities, a research center and a technology center in 17 Chinese cities, hiring over 6,000 employees.

Corning has witnessed the rapid development of the Chinese market over the past decades, Liu said, adding that he was impressed by the strong resilience and great vitality of the Chinese economy. At the same time, the company has also been developing well, with its sales and manufacturing system and ability here becoming very complete and advanced.

"China is the only geographic market where we have a business presence for all of our five market access platforms and emerging business outside the United States," said Liu, who stressed that China is one of the most important strategic markets of Corning.

In recent years, with its business in China showing strong resilience, Corning has continued to invest in China in areas including emission control products, pharmaceutical glass tubing, display glass and automotive glass.

In 2020, Corning settled its largest global investment of the year in China to establish a pharmaceutical glass tubing factory in Bengbu of East China's Anhui province.

And in January this year, it settled the intelligent drug synthesis project in Suzhou of East China's Jiangsu province.

Liu said that the continuous improvement of China's business environment over the recent years is an important reason for Corning's rapid development here.

"China is promoting institutional opening up, which is very attractive to foreign-funded enterprises that are deeply engaged in Chinese market, and will continue to enhance their confidence in China's economic development," he said.

Liu said that Corning will focus on the long-term trend of China's economic growth to serve Chinese customers and deepen its strategic cooperation with Chinese enterprises to share opportunities of this market.