The number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises reached 53,766 in 2023 in China, representing a growth of 39.7 per cent year on year, the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce showed on Friday.
The actual foreign direct investment (FDI), which remained at a high level, hit more than 1.13 trillion yuan (about 160 billion U.S. dollars), down 8 per cent year on year, according to the data.
In terms of sectors, FDI to the manufacturing industry reached 317.92 billion yuan in 2023, down 1.8 per cent, even though high-tech manufacturing registered a 6.5 per cent increase in FDI.
The ministry, in a statement, specified that high-tech industries attracted 423.34 billion yuan, accounting for 37.3 per cent of the total amount of FDI last year. Its share in total FDI also expanded by 1.2 percentage points compared to the level in 2022.
The actual FDI to the service industry reached 776.08 billion yuan, down 13.4 per cent. In contrast, FDI to the construction sector, as well as R&D and design services, increased by 43.7 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively.
FDI originating from France, Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Australia increased by 84.1 per cent, 81 per cent, 31.5 per cent, 21.4 per cent, and 17.1 per cent, respectively, said the data.
