This statistic shows the direct investment position of the United States in China from 2000 to 2023, on a historical-cost basis. In 2023, the U.S. investments made in China were valued at 126.91 billion U.S. dollars. Direct investment position of the United States - additional information Foreign direct investment (FDI), simply put, is an investment of one company into another company located in a different country. It differs from a traditional way of investing into shares of foreign companies listed on a stock exchange. The companies which make foreign direct investment usually own a part of the company in which they invest and they have influence on the decision making process. In the United States, FDI is defined as an American investor (called the U.S. parent) owning a minimum of 10 percent of a foreign firm (known as a foreign affiliate). The total direct position of the United States abroad amounted to 6.68 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. Although the phenomenon profits greatly from the technological advances of the 21st century, as well as from the cultural flexibility of today’s workforce, FDI has a long history, going back to the colonial empires. Not without critics, FDI is generally believed to bring advantages to the investing company, such as access to new markets and decreased costs of labor, materials and production facilities. The local economy can benefit from an infusion of capital, access to new technologies and engagement of native labor pool. There are three recognized types of foreign direct investment, namely horizontal FDI, platform FDI and vertical FDI, along with various methods of implementing the investment itself. FDI considered by many one of the motors of worldwide economic growth. U.S. foreign investment abroad has seen a dramatic growth in the past decades. Multinational American corporations, especially focused on manufacturing, have largely invested in facilities overseas, due to financial benefits. However, a large share of these corporations focuses toward not only supplying the U.S. market, but also the local markets in which they operate. In 2020, the country that received the largest amount of U.S. foreign investment was the United Kingdom, with a little over one trillion U.S. dollars, followed by the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Overall, the total amount of U.S. dollars invested in European states in 2021 reached 3.98 trillion U.S. dollars compared to 2.25 trillion U.S. dollars a decade prior.

Key information about China Investment: % of GDP

• China Investment accounted for 40.6 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a ratio of 41.1 % in the previous year.
• China investment share of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1952 to Dec 2024, with an average ratio of 38.9 %.
• The data reached an all-time high of 46.6 % in Dec 2011 and a record low of 15.4 % in Dec 1962.

• In the latest reports, China GDP expanded 4.8 % YoY in Sep 2025.
• China Nominal GDP reached 4,953.4 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Its GDP deflator (implicit price deflator) fell 1.0 % in Sep 2025.
• China GDP Per Capita reached 13,306.2 USD in Dec 2024.
• Its Gross Savings Rate was measured at 43.4 % in Dec 2024.

Chinese companies invested 28.04 billion U.S. dollars into firms in the United States in 2023, when measured on a historical-cost basis. The total foreign direct investments in the U.S. were valued at approximately 5.39 trillion U.S. dollars in that year. Sino-American relations FDI flows are even higher from the United States into China than the flows in this statistic. In addition to FDI, the countries are linked by billions of U.S. dollars in trade value, much of which includes integrated supply chains which see intermediate products shipped back and forth before a final product goes to consumers. This close economic relationship does not imply a political partnership, however. In fact, the countries engaged in what most analysts consider a trade war starting in 2018. China’s other options China is expanding its Belt and Road Initiative, producing infrastructure investments abroad in different parts of Asia. However, these outflows do not yet reach the values seen in this statistic, partly due to the smaller size of the target economies. Still, the majority of net overseas direct investment from China goes to Asia. This measure is slightly different because it does not give the total volume of investments, but it underscores the importance of regional ties to Chinese investors.

Foreign Direct Investment in China increased by 507 USD Hundred Million in August of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - China Foreign Direct Investment - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

In 2024, China’s level of total investment reached around 40.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). This value is expected to remain stable in 2025 and increase slightly in the following years. Final consumption accounted for 55.7 percent in 2023. International comparison of total investments The GDP of a country can be calculated by the expenditure approach, which sums up final consumption (private and public), total investment, and net exports. The ratio of consumption to investment may vary greatly between different countries.Matured economies normally consume a larger share of their economic output. In the U.S. and many European countries, total investment ranges roughly at only 20 to 25 percent of the GDP. In comparison, some emerging economies reached levels of 30 to 40 percent of investment during times of rapid economic development. Level of total investment in China China is among the countries that spend the highest share of their GDP on investments. Between 1980 and 2000, 30 to 40 percent of its economic output were invested, roughly on par with South Korea or Japan. While the latter’s investment spending ratio decreased in later years, China’s even grew, especially after the global financial crisis, peaking at staggering 47 percent of GDP in 2011.However, returns on those investments declined year by year, indicated by lower GDP growth rates. This resulted in a quickly growing debt burden, which reached nearly 285 percent of the GDP in 2023, up from only 135 percent in 2008. The Chinese government defined the goal to shift to consumption driven growth, but the transformation takes longer than expected.

China Outward Investment: Latin America: Ecuador data was reported at 100.400 USD mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 16.800 USD mn for 2022. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Ecuador data is updated yearly, averaging 16.800 USD mn from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2023, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 470.600 USD mn in 2013 and a record low of -131.100 USD mn in 2017. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Ecuador data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Commerce. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Investment – Table CN.OB: Outward Direct Investment: by Country.

China: Capital investment, billion USD: The latest value from 2023 is 7514.54 billion U.S. dollars, a decline from 7758.15 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 175.62 billion U.S. dollars, based on data from 157 countries. Historically, the average for China from 1960 to 2023 is 1426.36 billion U.S. dollars. The minimum value, 7.43 billion U.S. dollars, was reached in 1962 while the maximum of 7768.9 billion U.S. dollars was recorded in 2021.

Description

This dataset provides monthly economic indicators examining the relationship between US protectionist trade policies and Chinese economic growth from May 2022 to May 2025. The dataset can be used for academic research, statistical analysis, and educational purposes in international economics and trade policy studies.

Context

The dataset captures the economic dynamics during a period of heightened trade tensions between the United States and China. It includes comprehensive indicators of US protectionist measures and their potential impact on various dimensions of Chinese economic performance.

Dataset Structure

Time Period: May 2022 - May 2025 Frequency: Monthly Total Observations: 1127 Total Variables: 14

Column Descriptions

Date

• Type: Categorical (YYYY-MM format)
• Description: Month and year of observation

US Protectionism Indicators

US_Tariff_Index

• Type: Continuous
• Range: 100-120
• Description: Tariff rate index where 100 represents the baseline. Higher values indicate increased protectionist measures.

US_Trade_Restrictions

• Type: Discrete
• Range: 5-15
• Description: Number of new trade restrictions implemented per month, including tariffs, quotas, and non-tariff barriers.

US_AntiDumping_Cases

• Type: Discrete
• Range: 0-12
• Description: Number of anti-dumping cases filed against Chinese products per month.

US_Trade_Policy_Uncertainty

-Type: Continuous - Range: 90-160 - Description: Index measuring uncertainty in trade policy (0-200 scale). Higher values indicate greater uncertainty.

Chinese Growth Indicators

China_GDP_Growth_YoY

• Type: Continuous
• Unit: Percentage (%)
• Range: 3.5-5.5%
• Description: Year-over-year GDP growth rate for China.

China_Industrial_Production_YoY

• Type: Continuous
• Unit: Percentage (%)
• Range: 2.5-5.0%
• Description: Year-over-year change in industrial production output.

China_Exports_Growth_YoY

• Type: Continuous
• Unit: Percentage (%)
• Range: 0-15%
• Description: Year-over-year growth rate of Chinese exports.

China_Manufacturing_PMI

• Type: Continuous
• Range: 47-52
• Description: Purchasing Managers' Index for manufacturing sector. Values >50 indicate expansion, <50 indicate contraction.

China_FDI_Inflow_USD_Billion

• Type: Continuous
• Unit: Billion USD
• Range: 7-15
• Description: Monthly foreign direct investment inflows into China.

Bilateral Trade Indicators

US_China_Trade_Volume_USD_Billion

• Type: Continuous
• Unit: Billion USD
• Range: 40-60
• Description: Total monthly bilateral trade volume between US and China.

US_Trade_Deficit_China_USD_Billion

• Type: Continuous
• Unit: Billion USD
• Range: -32 to -24
• Description: US trade deficit with China. Negative values indicate deficit.

Additional Economic Indicators

USD_CNY_Exchange_Rate

• Type: Continuous
• Range: 6.7-7.3
• Description: Exchange rate expressing yuan per US dollar.

China_Stock_Index

• Type: Continuous
• Range: 2,800-3,500
• Description: Shanghai Composite Stock Index (normalized).

This paper investigates the effects of United States sanctions on Chinese public and private overseas foreign direct investment (FDI). Using data for up to 112 developing countries from 2005-2015, we find that Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are more likely to invest in countries threatened or targeted with U.S. sanctions relative to Chinese privately-owned enterprises (POEs) because they have the Chinese government’s backing and are larger in number and size, motivating them to invest in higher-risk states. The Chinese government also reaps political benefits by Chinese SOEs investing abroad, enhancing China’s economic strength and decreasing its rivals’ influence. We also obtain similar results for Chinese SOEs and POEs regardless of the investment sector and conduct additional robustness checks that further reinforce the main findings. Our study provides insights into how China’s overseas FDI increases its economic and political reach across the globe at the possible expense of the U.S.

China Outward Investment: North America: Bermuda data was reported at 515.120 USD mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of -167.650 USD mn for 2022. China Outward Investment: North America: Bermuda data is updated yearly, averaging 47.785 USD mn from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2023, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.127 USD bn in 2015 and a record low of -316.830 USD mn in 2018. China Outward Investment: North America: Bermuda data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Commerce. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Investment – Table CN.OB: Outward Direct Investment: by Country.

Investment in energy with private participation (current US$) in China was reported at 38416240000 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Investment in energy with private participation - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Balance of Payments: Other Investment: Assets (or Net Acquisition of Assets) for China (CHNB6FAOI02CXCUQ) from Q1 1998 to Q4 2024 about M&A, financial account, BOP, China, investment, financial, and assets.

China Outward Investment: Latin America: Mexico data was reported at 1.079 USD bn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 488.520 USD mn for 2022. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Mexico data is updated yearly, averaging 49.730 USD mn from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2023, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.079 USD bn in 2023 and a record low of -6.276 USD mn in 2015. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Mexico data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Commerce. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Investment – Table CN.OB: Outward Direct Investment: by Country.

Actual value and historical data chart for China Portfolio Investment Equity Drs Us Dollar

Time series data for the statistic Foreign_Direct_Investment_Net_Inflows_$ and country China. Indicator Definition:Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in the reporting 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. Data are in current U.S. dollars.The statistic "Foreign Direct Investment Net Inflows $" stands at 18,556,141,172.84 Chinese Yuans as of 12/31/2024, the lowest value since 12/31/1993. Regarding the One-Year-Change of the series, the current value constitutes a decrease of -63.86 percent compared to the value the year prior.The 1 year change in percent is -63.86.The 3 year change in percent is -94.61.The 5 year change in percent is -90.09.The 10 year change in percent is -93.08.The Serie's long term average value is 96,650,683,811.72 Chinese Yuans. It's latest available value, on 12/31/2024, is 80.80 percent lower, compared to it's long term average value.The Serie's change in percent from it's minimum value, on 12/31/1979, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2024, is +23,195,076.47%.The Serie's change in percent from it's maximum value, on 12/31/2021, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2024, is -94.61%.

China Outward Investment: Latin America: Paraguay data was reported at 0.950 USD mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of -1.290 USD mn for 2022. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Paraguay data is updated yearly, averaging 0.950 USD mn from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2023, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27.830 USD mn in 2010 and a record low of -1.290 USD mn in 2022. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Paraguay data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Commerce. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Investment – Table CN.OB: Outward Direct Investment: by Country.

In 2023, the net value of overseas direct investment (FDI) from Guangdong amounted to around ***** billion U.S. dollars, increasing from ** billion U.S. dollars in the previous year. Guangdong is the most populous province in China as well as the largest economy among all the provinces in China. For better development and more opportunities, companies from Guangdong have begun investing overseas.

China Outward Investment: Latin America: Honduras data was reported at 2.990 USD mn in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of -10.920 USD mn for 2020. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Honduras data is updated yearly, averaging 1.380 USD mn from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2021, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.060 USD mn in 2018 and a record low of -10.920 USD mn in 2020. China Outward Investment: Latin America: Honduras data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Commerce. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Investment – Table CN.OB: Outward Direct Investment: by Country.

As a share of the country’s GDP, China’s average infrastructure spending in 2022 was nearly ** times higher than that of the United States. Indeed, at *** percent of its GDP, China's investments were significantly higher than anywhere else in the world. By comparison, investments in Central & Eastern Europe - the CEE region - were relatively higher than those in their Western European counterparts. Infrastructure construction and development The construction industry plays a significant role in most economies. The reason for that is that public investment into essential infrastructure enables the economy to function properly and be well connected. Without transportation and energy infrastructure, which were the two types of infrastructure with the highest construction spending in the U.S., or telecommunication networks, such as 5G base stations, many industries could not perform their activities. Infrastructure needs Despite the importance of infrastructure for the wellbeing of communities, infrastructure investment is sub par in many countries across the world. As of 2020, projected infrastructure spending was estimated to be unable to fulfill spending needs in the United States, where the aging infrastructure is in dire need of repair. Although as seen here, China was the country with the highest investment in infrastructure relative to its GDP, as of 2019, it also has higher projected infrastructure needs than most regions.

Key information about China Foreign Direct Investment

• China Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 8.5 USD bn in Sep 2025, compared with an increase of 17.4 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• China Foreign Direct Investment: USD mn net flows data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1998 to Sep 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 107.2 USD bn in Mar 2022 and a record low of -15.0 USD bn in Jun 2024.

• In the latest reports of China, Current Account recorded a surplus of 195.6 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• China Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 39.9 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 8.3 USD bn in Jun 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 4,953.4 USD bn in Sep 2025.