5. Dalian
Population: 6.2 million
Former mayor (and current Politburo member) Bo Xilai earned political points building Dalian into an economic powerhouse in the early 1990s by attracting foreign investment. His goal was to make it the "Hong Kong of the north." Dalian is one of China's primary petroleum production centers, and Intel will open a $2.5 billion semiconductor factory there this month.
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Last updated October 13 2010: 8:56 PM ET
Ernst & Young eyes Chinese market
