China has the world's largest manufacturing workforce: more than 112m people at the end of 2006, according to Erin Lett, formerly of America's Bureau of Labour Statistics, and Judith Banister of the Conference Board, who include enterprises in China's towns and villages, where 70% of its metal-bashers work.

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However, this did not happen, as Nokia, Samsung, LG and other multinationals launched attractive new model designs especially for the Chinese market and established myriad handset sales outlets and channels in smaller cities and towns throughout China.

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But a growing chorus of state officials, from Ohio to Washington and in small towns in Texas, are saying that China is good for business.

FORBES: What Texas Thinks About China

China is also important to future growth, naturally, with some growing towns perfectly set up for a big box on their outskirts.

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Chengdu's award-winning rehabilitation has drawn delegations from China's other major cities to study its methods and many of its planners have taken their expertise to other towns and districts in the region.

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