Foreign investment will be banned in exploration of rare or crucial and unrenewable mineral resources, according to the Indicative Catalog Of Industries for Foreign Investment (amended 2007) jointly issued by the National Reform and Development Commission (NRDC) and the Ministry of Commerce.

   According to the new catalog, the country will ban foreign investment in exploration, development and mining of some crucial mineral resources which are not renewable, and restrict or ban foreign investment in projects which are in high consumption of materials and energy, and making serious pollution.

   The country will take cautious and open attitude toward some strategic and sensitive industries concerning national economy and security, and make unified planning of the country's development and opening to the outside world.

   In the field of manufacturing, China will further encourage foreign investment in high-tech, equipment making and new materials industries.

   For service sector, the new catalog adds "service contracting" and "modern logistics" in the encouraging category, and removes some items in categories of restriction and banning.

   The new catalog is expected to enter into force on December 1 of this year, while the old one of the 2004 version will be revoked.

   Li Yushi, an expert from MOC, said that the publishing of the new catalog is to support the country's endeavor in adjustment of industry policy, with the core on encouraging development of high-tech industry, and restricting growth of high polluting and energy guzzlers.

   The new catalog will play a positive role in optimizing the foreign fund utilization structure, industrial upgrading, technical innovation, and coordination of regional development, Li said.

   Statistics show that China's actual use of foreign funds reached 47.219 billion US dollars in the first nine months of this year, rising 10.87 percent year.