BEIJING -- Foreign direct investment (FDI) to the Chinese mainland jumped 10.5 percent year on year in the first five months of 2015, settling at 330.95 billion yuan (53.83 billion U.S. dollars), the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.
The pace slowed from the 11.1-percent increase registered between January and April but far exceeded the 1.7 percent annual growth rate posted for 2014.
China approved 9,582 new foreign-funded companies in the first five months, up 9.6 percent year on year.
Service industry FDI totaled 33.94 billion U.S. dollars in the first five months, up 23.5 percent year on year. This accounted for 63 percent of all FDI during the period.
Some high-end manufacturing businesses saw fast investment growth. Investment climbed 4.8 percent year on year in communications equipment, computer and other electric-facility manufacturing in the first five months. Investment rose 4.4 percent year on year in traffic-equipment manufacturing in the first five months.
FDI from key countries and regions has been stable. In the first five months, the top ten countries and regions with investment into China pumped in 50.96 billion U.S. dollars, up 10.7 percent year on year and contributing 94.7 percent of FDI.
Investment from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), France, the United Kingdom and the Macao SAR climbed remarkably. The European Union invested 3.31 billion U.S. dollars into China in the first five months, up 23.2 percent year on year.
FDI from 64 countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative line hit 2.92 billion yuan, up 11.6 percent year on year.
