BEIJING - China's foreign trade is expected to grow to $4 trillion in 2015, from $2.21 trillion in 2009, says the head of the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC).

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"However, the large trade volume doesn't mean its quality is high. China must accelerate the pace of transforming itself from a big manufacturer to a strong one," said Wan Jifei, president of the CCOIC.

Chinese brands accounted for only about 20 percent of the country's total export volume, and the unreasonable industrial structure was putting heavy burden on the environment, said Wan.

"During the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period, China should work to reduce exports of low value-added goods and improve the structure of imports," he said at the annual CCOIC conference in Beijing on Dec 10.

Wan urged Chinese exporters to develop "green trade" and pay more attention to the effect of the emerging carbon tariffs which might become a new trade barrier in the next five years.