In a year of economic recalibration, China recorded a notable uptick in the number of foreign ventures while grappling with reduced investment values. Data from January 23 reveals 70,392 fresh foreign-invested companies established nationwide, up 19.1% from 2024. Yet, real FDI used fell 9.5% to 747.69 billion yuan.
Sector-wise, services captured the lion’s share at 545.12 billion yuan, dwarfing manufacturing’s 185.51 billion yuan. The high-tech arena stood out with 241.77 billion yuan utilized, fueled by explosive growth in key subsectors: e-commerce services leaped 75%, medical equipment and machinery rose 42.1%, and aerospace manufacturing climbed 22.9% year-over-year.
These trends align with China’s ‘high-quality development’ agenda, prioritizing tech over traditional industries. Investors from Switzerland, the UAE, and Britain drove the momentum, with FDI from these nations surging 66.8%, 27.3%, and 15.9% respectively.
Experts attribute the value dip to factors like global slowdowns and currency fluctuations, but the surge in new enterprises points to sustained interest. Beijing’s response includes enhanced IP protections and green investment corridors. Looking ahead, 2026 could see stabilization if stimulus measures take hold, positioning China as a pivotal hub for multinational expansion.