Seven foreign-funded enterprises in the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone’s bonded area have been awarded certificates as regional headquarters of multinational companies.
The companies are Agilent Technologies Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, ASM Assembly System Co Ltd, Phinia Investment (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CNH (China) Management Co Ltd, Innomotics Transmission Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Integra LifeSciences (Shanghai) Co Ltd, and AbbVie Pharmaceutical Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd.
Agilent, which has been operating in China for more than 40 years, has built a full-chain business footprint covering R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, trade, sales and service. In recent years, the company has ramped up its localization efforts in Shanghai, promoting smart manufacturing and digital transformation at its Shanghai manufacturing center, and has localized the production of several core instruments.
“We will continue to increase investment in local innovation, smart manufacturing and talent development, and deepen the integration of global technology with Chinese innovation,” said Yang Ting, vice president of Agilent and general manager of Agilent Greater China.
Phinia entered the Chinese market in 1997. Its core products include high-pressure fuel injection systems, aerospace power, hydrogen power systems, as well as alternative fuels such as methanol and ethanol. The company has set up six entities in Shanghai, Shandong and Jiangsu, establishing a comprehensive system covering design, production, procurement, sales and service.
“The Asia-Pacific regional headquarters will accelerate the building of a bridge connecting global technology and the Asia-Pacific market, coordinating operations in China, Japan, South Korea, India, Singapore and other markets,” said Yang Hongyong, head of Phinia China.
US-based biopharmaceutical company AbbVie has upgraded its Shanghai headquarters from a local operating hub to a multinational regional headquarters. AbbVie currently has more than 100 clinical research projects ongoing or planned in China, 85 percent of which are global multi-center studies.
In Pudong alone, more than 20 clinical projects have been designated as “key investment projects” by AbbVie’s global headquarters, with a total investment exceeding 75 million yuan (US$10.85 million).
In 2025, AbbVie’s pharmaceutical business revenue in China grew by over 20 percent. The company plans to launch more than 40 new products or new indications in China by 2030.
