(Yicai Global) Nov. 10 -- With the tighter protection of intellectual property, Schneider Electric hopes to enhance global innovations through innovations in China, Barbara Frei, global executive vice president of the French multinational energy company, told Yicai Global.

For Schneider Electric, there are two reasons why Chinese innovations can go global, Frei said. First, more and more Chinese teams participate in international projects developed for the global market. Second, products researched, developed, designed, and produced by Chinese teams based on the local market demand become popular overseas.

Using innovations in China to serve global innovations is an ongoing trend and an opportunity to attract international giants who have been developing in the country for a long time. More and more multinational companies have set up their research and development centers and regional headquarters in China.

“We will continue to develop and manufacture products in China to form an innovation scale to export goods to the world,” Frei noted. “This will be a very open process.”

The export of variable-frequency drives developed by Schneider Electric for the Chinese market has grown by more than 100 percent in recent years, Frei pointed out.

“China is our largest industrial automation business market, greatly contributing to growth drivers and innovations,” Frei added.

“Schneider Electric invests 5 percent of its revenue in R&D every year,” Frei said. The related business growth has also made us more confident, so we will continue to increase investment in innovation and R&D in China in terms of personnel, testing facilities, and production, she noted.

Editor: Futura Costaglione