Expansion in Asia has become a necessity: U.S. companies continue to grow their operations in...

When Intel decided to open a $200 million factory in Chengdu, China, the announcement sent many economic developers in the West scouring for a good map of China. After all, Chengdu is one of 38 major cities in China with a population of more than 1 million.

China is not only the world's fastest growing economy, but home to the world's largest population. Foreign direct investment in China soared to $55 billion in 2004. Having a strong presence in this dynamic and growing market is not an option anymore. It's a necessity.

China is also the world's fastest gro