McDonald's China announced on Feb. 4 an expansion plan to set up 175 new outlets and create more than 10,000 jobs this year on the Chinese mainland despite global economic downturn.

The expansion was the largest of its kind ever made by McDonald's across the world.

"The move will bring more opportunities for cooperation to food-related industries in China," said McDonald's China CEO Jeffrey Schwartz.

The US-based food chain store group has 50 suppliers in China, with more than 95 percent of its food materials coming from local market.

On the same day, the group announced its decision to launch a 16.5 yuan (US$2.4) discount meal in its Chinese outlets.

"The price is even lower than that of a similar product in this market a decade ago," said Schwartz.

He added the company's management of material supply and its increasing presence in China helped cost control and made the big discount possible.

McDonald's has opened more than 1,050 outlets in China in the past two decades.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2009)