The EU has practiced trade protection for its shoe industry for 14 years, and extended duties would hurt the interests of European consumers instead of benefiting its shoemakers, the official said.

France is striving to invite more Chinese companies to invest in the country's green industry, a French investment official said here Friday.

The French authorities sought to attract overseas investment to create more jobs by taking the advantage of global economic recovery and focus on green economy, David Appia, chairman and CEO of Invest in France Agency, told Xinhua.

The global financial crisis has dampened overseas investment in Europe, but it also offered opportunities for investment in low-carbon and biological industries, said Appia, also French Ambassador for International Investments.

China is committed to transforming the pattern of economic growth, which will drive more local businesses to enter new energy, new resources and new tech industries, he said.

Appia is attending Boao Forum for Asia's (BFA's) annual meeting that will officially open Saturday in Boao, a scenic town in south China's island province of Hainan.

The pan-Asian platform of dialogue will have about 2,000 political leaders, entrepreneurs and academic scholars from across the world to hold discussions under the theme of "Green recovery: Asia's realistic choice for sustainable growth".

Appia said 639 overseas investment projects that could create jobs were registered in France last year, 68 percent of which were from Europe and 19 percent from North America.

A total of 22 Chinese businesses made investment in France last year, five more than in 2008, he said, adding that some even set up research and development centers in France.

The French government has a team in Shanghai that helps Chinese businesses familiarize with economic and legal conditions in France, he said.