Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), annual in China
China: Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), annual was -18.21 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), annual in China, 1983–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual in China is -18.21 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 22.8% on the previous year and down 143.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual in China peaked at 369.4 % change on previous year in 1985 and was at its lowest, -54.55 % change on previous year, in 1994.
That places China 127th out of 180 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), annual in China, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 111.36 % change on previous year | — |
| 1984 | 44.09 % change on previous year | -60.4% |
| 1985 | 369.4 % change on previous year | +737.9% |
| 1986 | -28.46 % change on previous year | -107.7% |
| 1987 | 43.33 % change on previous year | -252.3% |
| 1988 | 31.78 % change on previous year | -26.7% |
| 1989 | -8.24 % change on previous year | -125.9% |
| 1990 | 6.41 % change on previous year | -177.8% |
| 1991 | 10 % change on previous year | +56.0% |
| 1992 | 338.12 % change on previous year | +3281.2% |
| 1993 | 10 % change on previous year | -97.0% |
| 1994 | -54.55 % change on previous year | -645.5% |
| 1995 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1996 | 5.7 % change on previous year | — |
| 1997 | 78.1 % change on previous year | +1270.1% |
| 1998 | 20.24 % change on previous year | -74.1% |
| 1999 | -10.85 % change on previous year | -153.6% |
| 2000 | 14.27 % change on previous year | -231.6% |
| 2001 | 110.23 % change on previous year | +672.4% |
| 2002 | -35.19 % change on previous year | -131.9% |
| 2003 | 34.56 % change on previous year | -198.2% |
| 2004 | -5.72 % change on previous year | -116.5% |
| 2005 | 72.21 % change on previous year | -1363.0% |
| 2006 | 74.31 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 2007 | -28.32 % change on previous year | -138.1% |
| 2008 | 230.77 % change on previous year | -914.9% |
| 2009 | -22.65 % change on previous year | -109.8% |
| 2010 | 32.04 % change on previous year | -241.5% |
| 2011 | -16.45 % change on previous year | -151.3% |
| 2012 | 34.16 % change on previous year | -307.7% |
| 2013 | 12.33 % change on previous year | -63.9% |
| 2014 | 68.74 % change on previous year | +457.7% |
| 2015 | 41.63 % change on previous year | -39.4% |
| 2016 | 24.1 % change on previous year | -42.1% |
| 2017 | -36.1 % change on previous year | -249.8% |
| 2018 | 3.42 % change on previous year | -109.5% |
| 2019 | -4.28 % change on previous year | -224.9% |
| 2020 | 12.28 % change on previous year | -387.1% |
| 2021 | 16.31 % change on previous year | +32.9% |
| 2022 | 17.48 % change on previous year | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 7.44 % change on previous year | -57.5% |
| 2024 | -14.83 % change on previous year | -299.5% |
| 2025 | -18.21 % change on previous year | +22.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -18.21 % change on previous year is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.87 % change on previous year. (52 countries reporting)
- China's -18.21 % change on previous year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -9.35 % change on previous year, 1.9× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), annual in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +3281.2% | 10 % change on previous year | 338.12 % change on previous year |
| 2005 | +1363.0% | -5.72 % change on previous year | 72.21 % change on previous year |
| 1997 | +1270.1% | 5.7 % change on previous year | 78.1 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 80.47 % change on previous year | -28.46 % change on previous year | 369.4 % change on previous year | 7 |
| 1990s | 40.32 % change on previous year | -54.55 % change on previous year | 338.12 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.45 % change on previous year | -35.19 % change on previous year | 230.77 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.96 % change on previous year | -36.1 % change on previous year | 68.74 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.41 % change on previous year | -18.21 % change on previous year | 17.48 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 124 South Korea -17.08 % change on previous year compare
- 125 Slovakia -17.29 % change on previous year compare
- 126 Afghanistan -17.29 % change on previous year compare
- 128 Cambodia -19.39 % change on previous year compare
- 129 Malawi -21.99 % change on previous year compare
- 130 French Polynesia -24.42 % change on previous year compare
More economy & growth data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 157.21 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0081 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 111.77 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 79.98 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 87.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0041 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 56.86 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual in China?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual in China was -18.21 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 369.4 % change on previous year in 1985.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -54.55 % change on previous year in 1994.
- How does China rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual?
- China ranks 127th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows (bop, current us$), annual rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 143.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.