Coca-Cola's biggest bottling plant in north China began operating Thursday in Xianghe County of Hebei Province, southeast of Beijing.

Coca-Cola's biggest bottling plant in north China began operating Thursday in Xianghe County of Hebei Province. [Photo: The official website of Coca-Cola]

The plant will produce bottled water, Coke and Sprite, mainly to serve Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and neighboring regions, according to Luan Xiuju, president of COFCO Coca-Cola Beverages, a joint venture of Coca-Cola and China's COFCO Corporation.

The first phase of the plant involved investment of 500 million yuan (76 million U.S. dollars).

As Coca-Cola's third-largest market, China offers exciting opportunities and the firm has full confidence in the Chinese market, said James Quincey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola.

Quincey said the firm will continue to work with COFCO to offer new products for Chinese consumers.