Indonesian paper giant Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) damaged protected forests in Southern China, but only inadvertently, an official investigation has concluded.

The company's operations in Hainan Province were found to have destroyed parts of natural forests but the damage was unintentional, according to a report from the State Forestry Administration's office in provincial capital Haikou, the Beijing News reported yesterday.

APP had submitted a written promise to the forestry administration, promising to abide by the law and to send regular reports on its operations to forestry authorities.

APP's Hainan projects were first criticised by the Beijing News in mid-March, which reported mass logging of roadside trees across the island province.

In late May, international environmental group Greenpeace also accused APP of endangering Hainan's forests. It said that a huge gap in timber supply from the Hainan Jinhai Pulp & Paper Co Ltd, an APP subsidiary, had led to the logging of many natural forests.

The Haikou office of the State Forestry Administration's report, quoted by the Beijing News yesterday, concluded that APP projects do not necessarily damage protected forests.

Cases of the destruction of natural forests are not common, said the report.

Greenpeace China yesterday released a statement welcoming APP's promise.

Greenpeace campaigner Zhong Yu said: "It is yet to be seen whether APP can keep its word."