FDI and ODI Trend

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland rose 6.7 percent year on year in March, slowing from February, while China’s nonfinancial outbound direct investment (ODI) dropped 48.8 percent year on year to $20.54 billion in the first quarter of this year, official data showed on April 18.

FDI reached 87.8 billion yuan ($12.8 billion) in March, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said in a statement. The growth rate was lower than the 9.2-percent increase recorded in February. Total FDI in the first three months of the year edged up 1 percent year on year to 226.5 billion yuan ($32.9 billion), the MOFCOM said.

Most investment went to the service sector, which saw FDI expand 7.1 percent year on year in the first quarter to account for 73 percent of the total FDI.

Investment in utility services soared 165.6 percent year on year, while hi-tech services attracted 28.7