Foreign investment in China increased 3.8 percent year-on-year from January to May to $54.19 billion, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said in an announcement published on its website on Sunday.
There were 10,871 new foreign enterprises established in the nation during this period, up 13.5 percent on a year-on-year basis, the announcement showed.
Advanced manufacturing and services robustly absorbed foreign investment, the MOFCOM said. About $38.22 billion in foreign investment went to the services sector, up about 7 percent. That sector accounted for 70 percent of total foreign investment.
Manufacturing attracted foreign investment of $15.52 billion, down about 3.2 percent. However, high-end manufacturing saw increased foreign investment, with $4.1 billion received during the period, an increase of 2.3 percent compared with the first five months in 2015.
The MOFCOM also noted in the announcement that western regions of China attracted foreign investment at a rapid pace, with $4.1 billion investment implemented during the period, up 31.2 percent.
Mergers and acquisitions were a common way for foreign enterprises to invest in the country.
