Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in China
China: Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP was 0.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in China, 1979–2025
Source: IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in China is 0.4%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 80.2% on the previous year and down 80.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in China peaked at 6.2% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1979.
China ranks 164th of 198 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP in China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.0% | — |
| 1980 | 0.0% | +66345.1% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | +353.7% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +54.9% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | +31.5% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | +75.5% |
| 1985 | 0.5% | +10.8% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +16.3% |
| 1987 | 0.8% | +36.0% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | +20.6% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +17.7% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | +129.3% |
| 1993 | 6.2% | +136.7% |
| 1994 | 6.0% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | -18.5% |
| 1996 | 4.6% | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 4.7% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 4.4% | -6.3% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | -15.6% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | -7.4% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | +30.9% |
| 2006 | 4.4% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 4.3% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -15.2% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -31.3% |
| 2010 | 3.9% | +55.8% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -23.8% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 2.5% | -15.9% |
| 2015 | 2.1% | -14.4% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -29.0% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -13.2% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | +25.6% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -22.7% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +31.3% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | +12.0% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -45.1% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -72.9% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -19.0% |
| 2025 | 0.4% | +80.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.5% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.9% | 1.0% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 2.5% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | 0.2% | 1.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 161 Pakistan 0.5% compare
- 162 Comoros 0.4% compare
- 163 Brunei Darussalam 0.4% compare
- 165 Bangladesh 0.4% compare
- 166 Kenya 0.4% compare
- 167 Iran, Islamic Republic of 0.3% compare
More economy & growth data for China
- 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)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.3564 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 4,941 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 2.56 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), per 35,522 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 4.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.3727 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in China?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp in China was 0.4% in 2025, according to IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 6.2% in 1993.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1979.
- How does China rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp?
- China ranks 164th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of gdp rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 80.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from IMF International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments; World Bank International Debt Statistics and GDP estimates; and OECD GDP estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net inflows of foreign direct investment from foreign investors to the reporting economy.