SHANGHAI - DELL computer chief Michael Dell said on Wednesday his company would increase investment in emerging markets, and China in particular, so it can continue to grow as the world economy slows.

Demand for Dell products in China has continued to grow despite the weakening global economy, with sales up 33 per cent year on year in the second quarter, the computer maker said at a briefing in Shanghai.

'China is one of the most critical emerging countries in the world,' Dell, the company's chairman and chief executive, told reporters and analysts.

He said emerging markets would be key to the company's effort to continue growing faster than the industry average, along with developing mobile computing products and helping companies cut costs during tough times.

The computer maker's shipments in the Asia-Pacific increased 35 per cent in the third quarter, nearly three times faster than the industry average of 12 per cent, according preliminary figures compiled by technology analysts IDC.

Lenovo and Hewlett Packard are the market leaders in the Asia-Pacific, with 18.9 per cent and 14.5 per cent respectively, according to IDC. Dell is third with nine percent.

Dell said his company's conservative management, cost cutting and a strong balance sheet would help it ride out the financial storm.

'If you look at history, we know things will return to normal. We don't know when that's going to be, but we know it's going to take time,' he said.

The company's financial position was strong with US$10 billion (S$15 billion) in cash and investments, he added.

Businesses and institutions account for 80 per cent of Dell's business in the Asia-Pacific region, while 99 per cent of the region's Fortune 500 companies are Dell customers, he said. -- AFP