China on Thursday issued a guide to encourage its enterprises to fulfil their social responsibility on protecting the environment when developing businesses abroad.

The guide, put together by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), regulates that Chinese enterprises shall respect local faith and customs, protect the lawful rights of local laborers, follow the environmental laws and rules of host countries and adapt themselves to international standards in environmental protection.

Bie Tao, deputy director of the MEP's Department of Policies, Laws and Regulations, said that the corporate citizenship of China's enterprises in invested countries demands more focus on environmental actives.

As of January, 2013, China's non-financial direct investment abroad totaled 439.5 billion U.S. dollars and the revenue of contracted projects abroad 662.4 billion U.S. dollars.