BEIJING - Foreign direct investment (FDI) growth in 2011 slowed to 9 percent, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

FDI, from January to November, grew by 13.15 percent year-on-year to $103.7 billion, according to the ministry.

But the figure for the whole year is expected to be $115 billion, up 9 percent from the previous year, said Liu Yajun, director-general of the Department of Foreign Investment Administration with the ministry, during the conference.

Last November, China´s FDI dropped by 10 percent from a year earlier, the first drop for 28 months and experts said similar declines will probably appear in the coming months.

The ministry said on Wednesday that China´s outbound direct investment will match FDI during the 2011-15 period.

New foreign investment guidelines were released last week in which China said it would encourage foreign companies to invest in more sectors, especially strategic emerging industries, service and high-tech.

Source: China Daily