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Sinopec signs agreement with McDonald's to open drive-throughs in China
UPDATED: 08:23, June 21, 2006

Sinopec Sales Company Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), signed an agreement with McDonald's China on Tuesday to open drive-throughs in Sinopec's gas stations around the country.

Pilot drive-throughs will be opened in China's major cities and their level of success will determine how many will be opened in future.

Sinopec will offer real estate and McDonald's will operate the restaurants, said a Sinopec Sales official surnamed Gao.

He said the profits will be divided between the both sides according to the turnover.

As China's top oil refinery, Sinopec operates over 30,000 gas stations around the country.

Developing non-oil products services has become a priority of Sinopec's sales sector, said Wang Tianpu, president of Sinopec.

McDonald's, which already has 760 restaurants in China, is targeting China's car owners who generally have a better income and are more accessible to Western food.

From last December to this January, McDonald's opened three drive-throughs in China, distributed in Dongguan and Foshan cities of Guangdong Province and Shanghai Municipality respectively.

Source: Xinhua