BP Australia head Andy Holmes says a joint venture the oil major has formed in China will use expertise from the group's Australian fuels retailing business to provide a new high-quality offering to motorists in three provinces in what will be a major expansion of the brand.

The venture announced last week with Shandong Dongming Petrochemical Group, the biggest independent refiner in China, is targeting a network of 500 sites within 10 years, including new sites and acquisitions.