今日上海
1月至4月，中国实际使用外商直接投资（FDI）中，高新技术占比创下40%的历史新高 - 2026年05月26日
High-tech's share of China FDI in actual use hits record 40% in January to April
The proportion of foreign direct investment in actual use in China's high-tech industries to the total has reached 40 percent in the first four months of the year, setting a new record high.
China's FDI in actual use fell 10 percent to CNY287.7 billion (USD42.4 billion) in the four months ended April 30 from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce. Among that, CNY116.3 billion was invested in high-tech industries, up 20 percent in the period and accounting for over 40 percent of the total, compared with 30 percent in the same period last year.
The fact that the proportion of FDI in actual use invested in high-tech enterprises reached a new record demonstrates the ongoing transformation and upgrading of China's economy, Zhan Yubo, deputy director and researcher at the Institute of Economics of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told Yicai. As China's industrial structure continues to optimize, this trend is expected to continue.
Some 20,113 foreign-invested enterprises were established in China in the first four months, an increase of 6.8 percent from a year ago, data from the MOFCOM also showed.
The number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises has spiked, while the FDI in actual use has declined in recent years, Zhan noted, adding that this is because there are many new companies, but they tend to be smaller in scale, and because the existing foreign investment is undergoing adjustments.
Existing foreign investments are constrained by industry sectors that do not align with development trends, and they also face competition from domestic enterprises, which may lead to more cautious additional investments, he explained.
Even though Kärcher is maintaining double-digit revenue growth this year, the space for foreign brands in China is narrowing, Tang Xiaodong, president of the Chinese branch of global cleaning equipment giant Kärcher, told Yicai. The biggest challenge for foreign firms is how to enhance management efficiency.
"If we can't achieve victory, we at least need to persevere and maintain our presence," Tang said. "In this context, Kärcher is focused on nurturing local talent and improving overall efficiency, while adhering to a long-term perspective and avoiding basic mistakes."
From an origin perspective, FDI in actual use in China from Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, and the United States surged 110 percent, 61 percent, 58 percent, and 25 percent, respectively, in the first four months from a year earlier, according to MOFCOM data.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing trade war and geopolitical tensions, the continued double-digit growth of US investment in China remains surprising.
Market logic has outweighed political narratives, with economic principles still playing a dominant role, according to Zhan. More than half of US investments in China were concentrated in high-tech sectors in the period, mainly because they are less affected by tariffs, feature high technological barriers, and meet China's strong demand.
Key advantages of China's economic growth, such as its comprehensive industrial chain, vast consumer market, and significant focus and support for high-tech industries, have been crucial in sustaining this trend, Zhan noted.
Even though the US is promoting supply chain decoupling from China, which has led to a decline in direct exports to the US, China's central position in regional value chains remains solid, Cui Fan, professor at the University of International Business and Economics and chief expert at the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, said at this year's China Europe International Business School Insights forum.
More than 8,000 foreign enterprises increased their investment in China last year, up over 10 percent from 2024, data from the MOFCOM also showed. In the first four months of this year, more than 3,000 of them made additional investments.
The number of foreign-invested companies in China has risen over the past three years, surpassing 530,000. The existing foreign investment has exceeded USD3.6 trillion.
Source: Yicai Global
