Chinese expansion for Air Liquide (Air liquide place ses pions en Chine).

(From Le Figaro)

Air Liquide of France, the world's leading industrial gas group, regards China as one of its key markets. Over the next five years, the French group hopes to see its own sales increase annually by almost 30 per cent, to reach 250m-300m euros, with a big contribution from the Chinese market. Over the same period, China is set to become the third-biggest economy in Asia in terms of GDP, compared with sixth at present. According to Air Liquide's chairman, Benoit Potier, within a decade China will have the same economic importance as the US does today.

In contrast to the US, …