American multinational pharmaceutical company Pfizer's division Upjohn established its global headquarters in Shanghai Thursday.

It's the first multinational pharmaceutical company to set up global headquarters in China, according to Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

"Shanghai has a great talent pool, making it easier for us to recruit high-end talent we need," said Michael Goettler, group president of Pfizer Upjohn, adding the establishment of the global headquarters brought the company closer to patients so that they could provide better service for them.

Yang Chao, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said Shanghai was a hot spot for global investment and very attractive to overseas investment.

"The establishment of the global headquarters of Pfizer Upjohn in Shanghai shows that multinational pharmaceutical companies attach great importance to the Chinese market, and the level of research and development, and production of China's pharmaceutical industry is keeping up with the international level," Yang said.

Pfizer, headquartered in New York City, entered the Chinese market in 1989. It started to develop its new business Upjohn in China last year, focusing on non-communicable diseases.

The company has more than 5,000 employees in China, and the newly established global headquarters hired 600 more workers.