The Chinese market is of great importance to companies around the world because of its population of over 1.4 billion, said Cristian Inderkumer, director of research of the Civil Association for Argentine-Chinese Cooperation. In an interview with China Daily, he said the size of the population and the strong consumption power of Chinese society create broad opportunities for both domestic and multinational companies. He also suggested that foreign businesses should look beyond the eastern part of China and pay more attention to the central and western regions, where diverse provinces, ethnic groups and consumer needs offer further room for growth. “The opportunity lies in central and western China,” he said.