In the first four months of 2006, China saw a foreign direct
investment (FDI) of US$18.48 billion, up 5.76 percent over the same
period last year, said sources with the Ministry of Commerce on
Monday. In the first four months, 12,639 foreign firms were
authorized to be established in China, down 3.46 percent from the
same period of last year.
Hong Kong was ranked first with its investment totaling US$5.36
billion. Japan and the United States, listed the third and the
sixth respectively, have posted investments in China of US$1.552
billion and US$837 million.
In the first four months, the top ten countries and regions that
invested the most in the Chinese mainland also include British
Virgin Islands, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Taiwan, Cayman
Islands, Singapore and Samoa.
Statistics show in the first four months of 2005, the contracted
foreign investment reached US$50.152 billion, 8.03 percent higher
over the same 2004 period and foreign investment actually utilized
was US$17.473 billion.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2006)