"We hope we can double our business over the next five years in China," president and chief operating officer of Coca Cola company, Jack Stahl said here on Sunday.

"I have heard for many years about the huge opportunities here. I think the thing that strikes me most is how real and exciting that opportunity is," he said.

Stahl, who is on a six-day visit to China, the first since he became president of Coca Cola told the Chinese media that he thoroughly reviewed the company's business in China with the local company leaders and its bottling partners. he company is now moving its division office from HongKong to Shanghai, China's commercial and industrial hub, as part of its new strategy for the development of its business in China.

He said China, the world's most populated country, could someday become Coca Cola's largest market in the world."It is difficult to predict (when that day will come), but everything I see here for a very short period of time tells me that I want to come back to help that to happen, and help it happen quickly," he said.

The US-based Coca Cola re-entered the Chinese market in 1979. Over the past 20 years, it has established 23 bottling plants and 27 production locations with its Chinese partners. Coca Cola's investment adds up to more than $1.1 billion, and local employment reached at 15,000, Xinhua news agency reports. The 20-year development of the company in China "is very exciting," Stahl said, adding that its business in China in many ways is just beginning.

"The idea is to become a local marketing company, taking advantage of the production capacity already in place, and at the same time seeking new locations for production to build the business in the western part of the country," he said.

The Chinese government recently launched an all out effort to push up economic development in its less-developed western region including Tibet. The government is offering tax concessions and other incentives to foreign firms who are willing to establish new projects in the western region.After the Coca Cola crisis in Europe last year, Stahl, who assumed office last February, said his company has changed its strategy to "think local, act local." that means they have to get closer to local communities and people.

The president said Coca Cola pays close attention to China's entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the country's strategy to develop its vast western areas. He said his company will continue to "invest aggressively" in China.