The move could prove to be prudent for Anheuser-Busch, which had a moderate profit growth of 3.1 per cent in its key US market during 2006. Howver, the company is not the only major brewer to take notice of the opportunities in the country. In its latest third quarter results rival SABMiller announced that emerging markets like China had helped the group overcome disappointing performances of its brands within North America and South Africa. Beer sales growth of more than 30 per cent in China during the quarter reflected SABMiller's determination to out-gun rival brewers through its joint venture there, China Resources Snow Breweries. After the initial gold rush, the race is now on in China to build a truly national beer brand, and Cheng is confident that Anheuser-Busch is in a strong position to do it. "While China remains a challenging market, we believe Anheuser-Busch has the right combination of product quality and taste, brand positioning, and long-term commitment to continue our success," he added.