British pharmaceutical company GSK promises to invest $30 billion in the US during Trump visit

The British pharmaceutical group GSK announced Wednesday that it will invest $30 billion in the United States over the next five years, the news was announced on the first day of a state visit to the United Kingdom by President Donald Trump.

Since his return to the White House in January, the Republican tycoon has pushed, among other sectors, drugmakers to produce more inside the U.S..

The investments announced by GSK are intended to strengthen its research and development as well as its production capacities in the U.S., the company said in a statement.

Commitment to lower drug prices

GSK is one of the 17 companies that Trump asked to submit "firm commitments" to reduce the price of their products by Sept. 29, under threat of retaliation.

Trump's state visit to the U.K. through Thursday has been marked by several announcements of partnerships and investments between companies from both countries.

Trump launched a series of tariffs after arriving back in the White House this year in a bid to force industries in several sectors to increase domestic production, accusing them ofcontributing to an "unfair" U.S. trade deficit.

"Two countries that have led the world in science and innovation in health"

"This week's state visit brings together two countries that have led the world in health science and innovation," GSK CEO Emma Walmsley, said in a statement.

GSK said it wants to develop "next-generation biopharmaceutical factories and laboratories in the United States."

Investment of $1.2 billion to build a factory in Pennsylvania

The British group's commitment includes a $1.2 billion plan to build a factory in Pennsylvania to develop treatments for respiratory and cancer diseases, as well as develop artificial intelligence at its five manufacturing sites in the North American country.

GSK said it already has some 15,000 employees in the US, and that its investments would create "hundreds of highly skilled jobs."

U.S. tech giant Google announced Tuesday it will invest more than $6.79 billion in data centers and artificial intelligence (AI)projects in the United Kingdom.