China vs Singapore: Foreign direct investment, net outflows
Foreign direct investment, net outflows over time
- China
- Singapore
How they compare
China currently reports 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ against 94.20 billion BoP, current US$ in Singapore, a difference of 63.00 billion BoP, current US$.
That makes China's figure about 1.7 times Singapore's.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1982 it was Singapore ahead.
China ranks 3rd and Singapore ranks 6th of 191 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 4 and Singapore in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Singapore | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 453.12 million BoP, current US$ | 258.87 million BoP, current US$ | 194.26 million BoP, current US$ | China |
| 1990s | 2.86 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.33 billion BoP, current US$ | Singapore |
| 2000s | 19.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 16.03 billion BoP, current US$ | 3.22 billion BoP, current US$ | China |
| 2010s | 117.65 billion BoP, current US$ | 42.81 billion BoP, current US$ | 74.84 billion BoP, current US$ | China |
| 2020s | 186.27 billion BoP, current US$ | 65.45 billion BoP, current US$ | 120.82 billion BoP, current US$ | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher foreign direct investment, net outflows, China or Singapore?
- China, at 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ against 94.20 billion BoP, current US$ in Singapore as of 2025.
- What is the difference in foreign direct investment, net outflows between China and Singapore?
- 63.00 billion BoP, current US$, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Singapore?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2025.
- How do China and Singapore rank globally for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- China ranks 3rd and Singapore ranks 6th of 191 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). 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.