Fast food giant McDonald's says it will open about 300 new outlets over the next three years in China and more than half will have drive-thru services.

Jeffrey Schwartz, McDonald's CEO told Xinhua on Wednesday that the company is responding to China's fast economic growth and booming car sales.

Drive-thrus will also cater to people's busier lifestyles, he said.

Schwartz made the comment at the opening ceremony of the first drive-thru in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian province. The outlet is the 19th drive-thru to be opened on the Chinese mainland by the world's leading fast food retailer, and the second one in Fujian.

McDonald's opened its first drive-thru in Dongguan city, south China's Guangdong Province near Hong Kong in December 2005.

The first drive-thru in Beijing opened on January 19 in partnership with Sinopec a major Chinese gasoline retailer.

McDonald's also has drive-thrus in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Hainan provinces.

Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the US burger chain made its China debut in Shenzhen city in 1990, and has expanded its business to more than 790 restaurants in 120 cities across China.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2007)