As Lilly Axes 5,500 Jobs It Adds 2,000 More in China

(MoneyWatch)  The 5,500 people about to lose their jobs at Eli Lilly might be wondering where they can get new posts. One option: China.

Even as Lilly wields the ax at reps in the U.S., it is doubling its sales force in the East:

Inside China, Lilly will double its sales force from 800 to 1600 so that it can expand its coverage in central and western areas of the country. The company will also add operations and accounting personnel.

Most of those positions will be sales reps as Lilly has only 10 R&D staffers in the country right now, according to ChinaBio Today.

Lilly reps are already girding themselves for future bloodletting. And, of course, playing the blame game.

• Previously:
• NAACP Abandons Class Action Bid in Eli Lilly Case; Plaintiffs Proceed Individually
• Lilly's Job Cuts Not Enough for Wall Street; Another Merger Suggested; CEO Lechleiter Eats a Steak
• Lilly Plans 5,500 Layoffs as Company Heads Over Zyprexa Patent Cliff
• Lilly Buyout and Restructuring Could Spark Rep-on-Rep Deathmatch
• Lilly Q2: It's Downhill From Here, Say Analysts; Cialis Gains on Viagra