According to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce, 185 of the Fortune world 500 top multinationals have invested US$12.26 billion on 355 projects in Beijing.

Among them there are 173 joint ventures and 159 solely foreign funded businesses. They are typically controlled or held by foreign capital.

They generate more than 40 percent of the total sales revenue, profits and net profits of foreign funded enterprises in Beijing. Their books record lower average assets liabilities ratio and 63 percent higher return on capital than the average of the local foreign businesses. Their return on assets is double as much as and their profit margin is 23 percent higher than the average.

Since 1980s, the world's top 500 have made presence in Beijing by setting up production facilities initially, then holding companies, followed by R&D centers and regional headquarters.

Now they have built some 300 offices, more than a hundred R&D institutes, and 80-plus investment-oriented businesses in the capital city.

60 investors of the world top 500 in Beijing are from the US, 49 from Japan, 15 from Germany, 11 from France and 10 from UK.

(People's Daily May 16, 2005)