HONOLULU — Gov. Linda Lingle is back in Hawaii following a two-week trip to China that promoted the Islands as a tourism destination.

Lingle returned home Friday after visiting several Chinese cities.

Besides emphasizing tourism, Lingle also signed an agreement to develop renewable energy. And she led a meeting seeking expansion of trade between Hawaii and Hainan Province.

While in the province, Gov. Luo Baoming encouraged Hainan Airlines Chairman Chen Feng to start direct flights to Hawaii as soon as possible. The carrier recently won federal approval for at least one weekly nonstop flight from Beijing to Hawaii.

Lingle's staff says she plans to discuss her accomplishments in China in more depth this weekend.