US-based soft drinks firm Pepsi Cola Co. announced Tuesday that it would invest an additional $850 million in China during the next three years.

Zhu Huaxu, president of Pepsi's China company, said the investment demonstrates Pepsi's strong confidence in the Chinese market's long-term development.

Zhu said a large proportion of the investment would be used to explore market in the central and western China.

Among the first group of foreign companies' investment in China, Pepsi has invested $1 billion during the past 25 years, with its branches in China topping 40.

Zhou Ming, vice director of the Investment Promotion Institute under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said Pepsi's China strategy has shown a way to other overseas companies in conducting cooperation with Chinese partners.