Foreign direct investment, net outflows in China
China: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 0.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in China, 1982–2025
Source: 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. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
China recorded 0.8% for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.4% on the previous year and down 47.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in China peaked at 1.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1982.
That places China 62nd out of 191 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 in China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | +87.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1% | +27.9% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +294.3% |
| 1986 | 0.1% | -26.4% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +57.9% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | +15.2% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -17.6% |
| 1990 | 0.2% | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 0.2% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | +293.1% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -64.2% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -23.2% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -10.2% |
| 1997 | 0.4% | +59.8% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +12.2% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | -16.2% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | +89.9% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -41.1% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | +19.1% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -20.0% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +47.4% |
| 2006 | 0.9% | +44.7% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -44.5% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | +155.4% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | -30.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +10.7% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | -32.6% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +18.7% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | +54.0% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | +34.0% |
| 2016 | 1.9% | +22.2% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -41.6% |
| 2018 | 1.0% | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | +9.0% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +16.7% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +7.7% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | -16.9% |
| 2025 | 0.8% | -21.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 8 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.6% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 59 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.8% compare
- 60 Montenegro 0.8% compare
- 61 Poland 0.8% compare
- 63 Cape Verde 0.8% compare
- 64 Uruguay 0.8% compare
- 65 Guatemala 0.8% 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)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 0.8984 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4048 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 5,381 current US$ per person (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 2.91 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 38,732 current LCU per person (2024)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3775 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in China?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in China was 0.8% in 2025, according to 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.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.9% in 2016.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1982.
- How does China rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- China ranks 62nd out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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, and is divided by GDP.