"China... has become a critical contributor to scientific innovation, advanced manufacturing, and global public health," Soriot said in a statement. China is AstraZeneca's second-largest market after the United States, where the company has recently invested heavily under pressure from President Donald Trump. AstraZeneca last year announced plans to invest $2.5 billion in China over five years to fund a strategic research and development centre. US effortsBritain's largest drugmaker has been shifting towards the United States, which it hopes will account for half its global revenue by 2030. Separately, the White House has delayed tariffs on AstraZeneca for three years after it agreed to invest in US manufacturing capacity.