Yili's Oceania production base located in New Zealand. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As a representative enterprise participating in the construction of the Belt and Road, Yili Group was invited to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on Oct 17-18.

Yili Group has made significant investments and expansions in various regions over the past decade.

In 2014, it established the largest integrated dairy production base in the world, the Yili Oceania Production Base, in New Zealand.

In 2018, the company further expanded its presence in Southeast Asia by acquiring Chomthana, the largest local ice cream company in Thailand.

In 2019, Yili deepened its presence in New Zealand by acquiring Westland Dairy, the country's second-largest dairy cooperative.

With these expansions, Yili has built a global network consisting of 81 production bases and more than 2,000 global partnerships, serving as vital support for its international development.

Yili Westland milk source pasture. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Furthermore, Yili has been building a global innovation system by gathering wisdom from around the world.

In Europe, Yili has partnered with Wageningen University in the Netherlands to establish the Yili Europe Innovation Center. In Oceania, Yili has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Lincoln University in New Zealand to establish the Oceania Innovation Center.

In Asia, the Yili Southeast Asia Innovation Center and Japan Innovation Center are currently under construction.

Yili has now established 15 innovation centers, conducting research and development on cutting-edge health issues both domestically and internationally.

Through its global footprint and innovative research, Yili Group is committed to creating a sustainable and prosperous "Dairy Silk Road" for the mutual benefit of countries along the Belt and Road.