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.

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 320.80 USD Hundred Million in April 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.

Key information about China Foreign Direct Investment

• China Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 8.3 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with a drop of 14.9 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• China Foreign Direct Investment: USD mn net flows data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1998 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 107.2 USD bn in Mar 2022 and a record low of -14.9 USD bn in Jun 2024.

• In the latest reports of China, Current Account recorded a surplus of 147.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• China Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 34.5 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 24.0 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 4,166.8 USD bn in Mar 2023.

This statistic depicts the volume of foreign direct investments (FDI) from China to the United States between 2013 and 2023. In 2023, about 6.91 billion U.S. dollars worth of direct investments from China had been made in the United States.

The graph shows Chinese cash flows and capital stocks of direct investments in the United States in 2023, by sector. That year, Chinese investments in the U.S. manufacturing industry resulted in a cash flow of around 1.2 billion U.S. dollars and a capital stock of around 25.6 billion U.S. dollars.

Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in China was reported at 142573770574 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

As of 2020, Chinese FDI flow to Africa amounted to 4.2 billion U.S. dollars. In the same period, Foreign Direct Investment from the United States totaled 2.1 billion U.S. dollars. This trend - higher Chinese than American FDI flows to Africa - has been observed since 2013, when China overtook the U.S. regarding investment flows to the continent.

Key information about China Direct Investment Abroad

• China Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 34.5 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with a growth of 71.0 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• China Direct Investment Abroad: USD mn data is updated quarterly.
• It is available from Mar 1998 to Sep 2024 and averaged 15.4 USD bn throughout the period.
• The data reached an all-time high of 71.0 USD bn in Jun 2024 and a record low of -754.0 USD mn in Sep 2000.

• In the latest reports of China, Current Account recorded a surplus of 147.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 8.3 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 24.0 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 4,166.8 USD bn in Mar 2023.

United States Foreign Direct Investment: Asia and Pacific: China data was reported at 371.000 USD mn in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -607.000 USD mn for Mar 2018. United States Foreign Direct Investment: Asia and Pacific: China data is updated quarterly, averaging 89.000 USD mn from Mar 2002 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.266 USD bn in Dec 2016 and a record low of -1.007 USD bn in Dec 2010. United States Foreign Direct Investment: Asia and Pacific: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O004: Foreign Direct Investment: by Country: Flow.

In 2023, about 45.5 billion U.S. dollars of foreign direct investments (FDI) have been invested into the manufacturing sector in China. Total FDI inflows to China amounted to around 163 billion U.S. dollars that year. Sectoral FDI distribution Foreign investment in China has been traditionally strong in the manufacturing sector. However, with the focus of Chinese economic development shifting from production to technology, services, and consumption, the landscape is changing rapidly. The manufacturing sector’s contribution to total FDI inflows has gradually declined from nearly 60 percent in 2005 to less than 20 percent in 2021, while the service sector accounted for more than 75 percent in that year. In particular, research and technology, IT, and leasing and business services, are quickly gaining importance adding to the diversification of investments into China. Investment restrictions in China In international comparison, the level of investment openness in China is still low. Sectors with long standing restrictions are media and telecommunications, as well as industries of national interest. In recent years, China has made new efforts to improve the investment environment and issued a new foreign investment law in 2019, further protecting the interests of foreign companies in the country. Given China’s ongoing, comparatively low FDI intensity, the country has the potential to attract much more foreign investment than it currently does. However, current geopolitical tensions and doubts about China’s determination to further open the market, raise questions about future development in this area.

China (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Utilized: Year to Date: North America: United States data was reported at 2.689 USD bn in Dec 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.506 USD bn for Nov 2018. China (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Utilized: Year to Date: North America: United States data is updated monthly, averaging 1.543 USD bn from Jan 2006 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 156 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.017 USD bn in Dec 2010 and a record low of 121.110 USD mn in Jan 2017. China (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Utilized: Year to Date: North America: United States 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.OA: Foreign Direct Investment: Capital Utilized: by Country.

In 2023, total annual foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into China amounted to around 189.13 billion U.S. dollars. According to official accounts, approximately 111.2 billion U.S. dollars were invested from Hong Kong and 3.4 billion from the U.S. However, this picture might not be representative for the actual origin of these money flows. Who are the investors? International financial hubs play an important role in directing foreign financial streams to China. According to official accounts, more than 59 percent of the inward Chinese FDI stock in 2023 had entered China through Hong Kong, while a substantial share also came from the Virgin Islands. These financial hubs offer favorable conditions or services to international investors, who are in most of the cases located in a third country. According to calculations by UNCTAD, made in an attempt to trace back ultimate investors, approximately 10.4 percent of the total Chinese inward FDI stock in 2020 originated from investors in the United States, 7.6 percent from Japan, and 6.1 percent from the United Kingdom. Only 10.4 percent originated from Hong Kong, while 12.1 percent came from within China, from Chinese companies not registered on the mainland. Investment destinations in China Although China’s economic development has spread from Eastern China into the inner provinces, foreign FDI inflows are still mainly directed towards the coastal regions, which attracted more than 80 percent of total investments in recent years. Foreign companies were most active in the Yangtze River Delta, namely in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang province, in the Greater Bay Area in Guangdong, and in the north in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shandong province. Many investments were made in Special Economic Zones, which provide beneficial conditions for foreign investors.

Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) in China was reported at 185301449981 USD in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on April of 2025.

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.

United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Income: Asia and Pacific: China data was reported at 175.000 USD mn in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 237.000 USD mn for Mar 2018. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Income: Asia and Pacific: China data is updated quarterly, averaging 24.000 USD mn from Mar 2002 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 65 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 379.000 USD mn in Dec 2014 and a record low of -117.000 USD mn in Jun 2016. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Income: Asia and Pacific: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O006: Foreign Direct Investment: by Country: Income.

United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Position: Asia & Pacific: China: Mfg: Primary & Fabrictd Metals data was reported at 808.000 USD mn in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 815.000 USD mn for 2022. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Position: Asia & Pacific: China: Mfg: Primary & Fabrictd Metals data is updated yearly, averaging 229.000 USD mn from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2023, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 819.000 USD mn in 2021 and a record low of -2.000 USD mn in 2010. United States (FDI) Foreign Direct Investment: Position: Asia & Pacific: China: Mfg: Primary & Fabrictd Metals data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O005: Foreign Direct Investment: by Country and Region: Stock.

According to preliminary figures, the value of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to China reached approximately 116.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. This was a decrease of around 28.8 percent compared to the previous year. FDI development in China China was the second largest recipient of FDI inflows worldwide in 2023 and has been an attractive destination for foreign investment since it opened-up four decades ago. Annual FDI inflows increased rapidly from around 40 billion U.S. dollars in 2000 to 124 billion in 2011, but growth rates have dropped thereafter. This was mainly due to high market restrictions and growing competition from domestic companies. In order to improve the investment environment, the Chinese government issued a new Foreign Investment Law in 2019 and took further measures to safeguard the interests of foreign investors. These measures were at least partly responsible for increased FDI inflows in 2020 and 2021. However, geopolitical tensions and questions over China’s intentions to further open-up its economy render future developments in this area highly uncertain. Investor origins and preferred industries According to UNCTAD estimates, around 10.4 percent of investment stock in 2020 originated from the United States, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany. However, the picture is blurred by the fact that a large portion of these investments entered China through international financial hubs such as Hong Kong, which officially accounted for 53 percent of the Chinese FDI stock in 2020. In terms of invested sectors, FDI distribution has changed a lot over the last 20 years. While manufacturing received around 60 percent of annual investments in 2005, that share has dropped to around 22 percent in 2020. Today, more than 70 percent of the investment value is directed into the service sector.

This data package includes the underlying data and files to replicate the calculations, charts, and tables presented in Chinese Investments in the US and EU Are Declining—for Similar Reasons, PIIE Policy Brief 19-12. If you use the data, please cite as: Kirkegaard, Jacob Funk. (2019). Chinese Investments in the US and EU Are Declining—for Similar Reasons. PIIE Policy Brief 19-12. Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Key information about China Foreign Portfolio Investment

• China Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 23.982 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with an increase of 36.903 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• China Foreign Portfolio Investment: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1998 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 99.446 USD bn in Dec 2020 and a record low of -38.202 USD bn in Sep 2022.

• In the latest reports of China, Current Account recorded a surplus of 147.580 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by 8.306 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• China Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 34.468 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 4,166.759 USD bn in Mar 2023.