Intel Corp expects China to become the world's second most important PC market by the end of this year, according to local reports.

Reuters news agency reported that Christian Morales, the chip giant's vice president for Asia Pacific, told a news conference in Malaysia that it had originally expected China would overtake Japan as the second largest PC market in the world within a year or two, but the crossover now looks set to occur this year.

Asia Pacific has become an increasingly important market for Santa Clara, California-based Intel. In part, this is because of the concentration of OEMs and contract manufacturers in the region. But it is also viewed as a massive source of new consumers, even as traditional markets in Europe and the US mature.

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