China vs East Asia & Pacific: Foreign direct investment, net outflows
Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time
- China
- East Asia & Pacific
How they compare
East Asia & Pacific currently reports 524.78 billion BoP, current US$ against 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ in China, a difference of 367.57 billion BoP, current US$.
That makes East Asia & Pacific's figure about 3.3 times China's.
Across all 44 years both countries report, East Asia & Pacific has been ahead every year.
China ranks 3rd and East Asia & Pacific ranks 5th of 192 countries.
East Asia & Pacific has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | East Asia & Pacific | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 453.12 million BoP, current US$ | 24.74 billion BoP, current US$ | 24.29 billion BoP, current US$ | East Asia & Pacific |
| 1990s | 2.86 billion BoP, current US$ | 61.80 billion BoP, current US$ | 58.94 billion BoP, current US$ | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2000s | 19.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 170.82 billion BoP, current US$ | 151.57 billion BoP, current US$ | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2010s | 117.65 billion BoP, current US$ | 486.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 368.41 billion BoP, current US$ | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2020s | 186.27 billion BoP, current US$ | 648.82 billion BoP, current US$ | 462.55 billion BoP, current US$ | East Asia & Pacific |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, China or East Asia & Pacific?
- East Asia & Pacific, at 524.78 billion BoP, current US$ against 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between China and East Asia & Pacific?
- 367.57 billion BoP, current US$, with East Asia & Pacific ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and East Asia & Pacific?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2025.
- How do China and East Asia & Pacific rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- China ranks 3rd and East Asia & Pacific ranks 5th of 192 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world. Data are in current U.S. dollars.