HONOLULU - China will give the green industry top priority in attracting foreign investment, President Hu Jintao said.

Addressing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum CEO summit in Honolulu on Saturday, he said the total annual output of the Chinese environmental industry is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan ($315 billion) by 2015, and investment in the industry for the period 2011 to 2015 is expected to be worth 3.1 trillion yuan.

"Strong green demand and China's sound investment environment will provide a vast market and great investment opportunities to businesses in all countries, those in our region in particular," Hu told more than 1,000 business people in Hawaii for the annual APEC CEO summit.

His remarks echoed the focus of the current leaders' meeting of the APEC group, which is focusing on promoting green growth.

Hu called for green development to be vigorously promoted, but stressed that choices that APEC members make on the issue, taking into account their capacity, including resources and their state of development, should be respected.

Hu also said that environmental technology needs to be promoted to help developing APEC members build environmental industries, and new green trade barriers should be avoided.

(China Daily 11/14/2011 page3)