A view of Lujiazui, Shanghai Photo: VCG

A view of Lujiazui, Shanghai Photo: VCG

A number of multinational corporations have released their latest quarterly results, with the performance of the Chinese market being a highlight. 

US coffee chain giant Starbucks on Thursday revealed its fourth-quarter financial report for fiscal year 2025 (ended September 28), noting that the Chinese market has maintained its positive momentum along the track of recovering growth, according to a press release the company sent to the Global Times on Thursday.

The company’s operating revenues in the Chinese market continued to rise for four consecutive quarters to $831.6 million, a year-to-year growth of 6 percent, according to the press release.

Apple, which saw its market value top $4 trillion for the first time this week, is due to report its fourth-quarter results on Thursday (US time), Reuters reported on Tuesday. 

The company is poised to benefit from the trending sales of its latest smartphones, including the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, in markets including China, the report said. 

French beauty conglomerate L’Oreal posted a 4.2-percent rise in third-quarter sales, noting improving demand in China for its luxury brands, Reuters reported on October 21. 

Singapore-based Perennial Holdings Private has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with the Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine to jointly leverage their collective strengths and resources, the company said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Thursday. 

Since opening China’s first wholly foreign-owned private tertiary general hospital in North China’s Tianjin Municipality in February, Perennial Holdings Private has entered multiple cooperation agreements in China.

Multinational companies’ enthusiasm went beyond fiscal reports, with many pledging to further expand their local operations and also demonstrating their willingness to take part in high-profile trade shows in China.

The eighth China International Import Expo, which will be held in Shanghai from next week, has attracted 4,108 overseas exhibitors from 155 countries, regions and international organizations, setting a new record in scale, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

In response to a media question on China’s further plan on expanding opening-up and attracting foreign investment in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said last week that whether it comes to opening-up or attracting investment, China will not engage in zero-sum games that harm others for self-gain, but rather pursue mutual benefit and common development.

“Many multinational companies have told us that ‘investing in China’ is not optional, it is a must,” he added. 

Wang further emphasized that China’s super-large market is also an opportunity for foreign companies, noting that foreign-brand sales accounted for one-third of car replacements in the nationwide consumer goods trade-in program.