China FDI up 4.2 per cent in May to US$9.87 billion, marking second straight monthly increase

Foreign direct investment into China rose 4.2 per cent from a year ago in May to US$9.87 billion, marking the second straight monthly increase, although the gain narrowed from an increase of 8.6 per cent in April.

In the first five months of 2020, foreign direct investment into China still fell 6.2 per cent to US$51.21 billion, compared to the same period last year.

In yuan terms, foreign direct investment in May rose 7.5 per cent to 68.63 billion yuan, but dropped 3.8 per cent to 355.18 billion yuan in the first five months of the year.

China’s outbound direct investment declined by 1.6 per cent from a year ago to 296.27 billion yuan (US$41.8 billion) in the January to May period, reversing a rise of 0.7 per cent in the first four months of the year.

The Ministry of Commerce, though, only disclosed a breakdown of investment figures for Asean and belt and road countries.

Foreign direct investment from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in the first five months of the year rose 10.1 per cent, while investment from countries involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative rose 6 per cent.