Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) in China
China: Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) was 116,238 million current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
116,238 million current US$
Change on year
down 28.8%
World rank
3rd
of 224 countries
All-time high
189,132 million current US$
in 2022
All-time low
3,487 million current US$
in 1990
Years of data
35
1990–2024
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in China, 1990–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in million current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in China is 116,238 million current US$, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 28.8% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in China peaked at 189,132 million current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3,487 million current US$, in 1990.
China ranks 3rd of 224 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) in China, year by year
| Year | million current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,487 million current US$ | — |
| 1991 | 4,366 million current US$ | +25.2% |
| 1992 | 11,008 million current US$ | +152.1% |
| 1993 | 27,515 million current US$ | +150.0% |
| 1994 | 33,766 million current US$ | +22.7% |
| 1995 | 37,520 million current US$ | +11.1% |
| 1996 | 41,726 million current US$ | +11.2% |
| 1997 | 45,257 million current US$ | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 45,463 million current US$ | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 40,319 million current US$ | -11.3% |
| 2000 | 40,715 million current US$ | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 46,878 million current US$ | +15.1% |
| 2002 | 52,743 million current US$ | +12.5% |
| 2003 | 53,505 million current US$ | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 60,630 million current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2005 | 72,406 million current US$ | +19.4% |
| 2006 | 72,715 million current US$ | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 83,521 million current US$ | +14.9% |
| 2008 | 108,312 million current US$ | +29.7% |
| 2009 | 94,061 million current US$ | -13.2% |
| 2010 | 114,734 million current US$ | +22.0% |
| 2011 | 123,985 million current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2012 | 121,073 million current US$ | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 123,911 million current US$ | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 128,502 million current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 135,577 million current US$ | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 133,711 million current US$ | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 136,315 million current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 138,306 million current US$ | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 141,225 million current US$ | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 149,342 million current US$ | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 180,957 million current US$ | +21.2% |
| 2022 | 189,132 million current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 163,253 million current US$ | -13.7% |
| 2024 | 116,238 million current US$ | -28.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 116,238 million current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 926.87 million current US$, 125.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's 116,238 million current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 857.11 million current US$, 135.6× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States) in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +152.1% | 4,366 million current US$ | 11,008 million current US$ |
| 1993 | +150.0% | 11,008 million current US$ | 27,515 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 29,043 million current US$ | 3,487 million current US$ | 45,463 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 68,548 million current US$ | 40,715 million current US$ | 108,312 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 129,734 million current US$ | 114,734 million current US$ | 141,225 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 159,784 million current US$ | 116,238 million current US$ | 189,132 million current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 278,848 million current US$ compare
- 2 Singapore 143,352 million current US$ compare
- 4 Luxembourg 105,987 million current US$ compare
- 5 Belgium and Luxembourg 88,203 million current US$ compare
- 6 Canada 64,096 million current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for China
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -0.8795 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0029 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 39.69 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.8948 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 28.98 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in China?
- Foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows in China was 116,238 million current US$ in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 189,132 million current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,487 million current US$ in 1990.
- How does China rank for foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows?
- China ranks 3rd out of 224 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment (fdi) inflows rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows (millions of United States dollars). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).