World second largest retailer giant Carrefour opened in Beijing on Saturday its first suburban branch in China.

 

The newly opened branch, located in the Tongzhou District, is also Carrefour's 1000th branch in the world.

 

Invested with 42 million yuan (US$5.3 million), the suburban branch covers more than 8,000 square meters, selling over 30,000 kinds of commodities.

 

The branch will provide more than 400 parking positions and open six regular bus routines for the convenience of about 20,000 everyday customers, said the branch head Qin Hong.

 

Qin said over 95 percent of the workers in the new branch are from Tongzhou District, who will receive systematic training and serve the locals.

 

Carrefour entered China in 1995 and currently it has 84 branches in the country.

 

Senior managers said they plan to establish more Carrefour branches in China's medium and small-sized cities and continue to support the economic development in China's western regions.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2006)