German chemicals group BASF expects its sales in China to grow over 10 percent this year, from 3.6 billion euros in 2006, its Asia Pacific president said on Thursday.

Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a media event, Wolfgang Hapke said that China would continue to generate roughly half of its Asia sales, if not more, in the coming years.

The firm would invest 1 billion euros in Asia till 2009, with half of that going to China, Hapke added.

He did not rule out further acquisitions in China where BASF is already operating 29 wholly owned subsidiaries and nine joint ventures.