The pharmaceutical company said the investment in the research-and-development center in Beijing will bolster its footprint and growth prospects in the country.

AstraZeneca is investing $2.5bn in research and development and manufacturing in Beijing, as the drugmaker tries to move on after a scandal that led to the detention of a top executive in China. The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company has agreed a five-year strategic partnership with the Chinese capital,

AstraZeneca said on Friday it will spend $2.5 billion on a research and development hub in Beijing, as the drugmaker scrambles to revive business in its second-biggest market after scandals including the arrest of its China president last year.