French auto components manufacturer Valeo Group will stick to its localization strategy in China and boost local research and development capabilities, said Valeo China President Edouard de Pirey on Sunday during Beijing Auto Show.

Valeo China President Edouard de Pirey

"We are definitely moving from having just factories in China to inventing in the country", he said.

After 20 years' presence in China, Valeo China has become the biggest arm of the group, with 26 plants, three research centers and 10 development centers that employ 13,000 people.

Valeo China has won the "Top Employers in China" award for three consecutive years.

The company reported excellent results in 2013, earning 12 billion yuan. Orders from the Chinese market accounted for 24 percent of the whole group.

"We are investing 1 billion yuan every year in China to strengthen the local R&D and production capacities", he said.

Supporting global customers, developing businesses with local OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and inventing new products to meet both international and local demands are the company's strategies in China, he added.

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