New foreign-invested firms rise almost 40 pct in China in 2023: data

This panoramic aerial photo taken on Jan. 10, 2023 shows a view of Lujiazui area in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises reached 53,766 in 2023 in China, representing a growth of 39.7 percent year on year, 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 percent 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 percent, even though high-tech manufacturing registered a 6.5 percent increase in FDI.

The ministry, in a statement, specified that high-tech industries attracted 423.34 billion yuan, accounting for 37.3 percent 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 percent. In contrast, FDI to the construction sector, as well as R&D and design services, increased by 43.7 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively.

FDI originating from France, Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Australia increased by 84.1 percent, 81 percent, 31.5 percent, 21.4 percent, and 17.1 percent, respectively, said the data.