McDonald's plans to accelerate restaurant openings in China by adding up to 250 new outlets this year, driven by increased demand for hamburgers and other fast-food fare in the country.

The expansion programme would mark a new high in the number of McDonald's store openings in a year in the country, which is behind Japan in terms of having the largest network of restaurants established by the Illinois-based company in the Asia-Pacific region.

McDonald's CEO James Skinner said the company, which on Wednesday reported global revenue of USD27 billion last year, was "extremely excited by our progress and potential" in China, "where we opened a record 200 restaurants in 2011". He said China, Japan and Australia were McDonald's three biggest markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

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