Foreign direct investment (FDI) into China rose by 23.6 percent in 2008 over the previous year, in spite of the worldwide economic downturn. Reuters reports that the Chinese Commerce Ministry says it received a total of US$92.4 billion in FDI in 2008, and that in December alone, FDI inflows were approximately US$6 billion, a slight increase over November’s numbers. However, the numbers released by the Ministry show a decrease in FDI in the fourth quarter of 2008. Forbes.com reports that the ministry says the increase in FDI came largely from the services industry, and that foreign companies are investing more money into the central and western provinces, away from the traditional manufacturing areas along the eastern coast.
