Foreign companies say China offers rich opportunities

GUANGZHOU - Foreign companies attending the ongoing Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair, said the ever-growing and more open Chinese market is not to be overlooked.

Rapid growth, better intellectual property protection, and an improving business environment were cited as reasons for continued optimism by foreign attendees.

Held every spring and autumn in southern China's Guangdong province, the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is seen as a barometer of China's foreign trade. Imports are under the spotlight this year as the country seeks to open its domestic market wider.