Nation More Attractive To Investors

王一鸣

商务部数据显示，今年前2个月，全国吸引外资2437亿元人民币，同比增长37.9%。我国利用外资结构持续优化。分析人士指出，长期的发展前景和持续改善的商业环境使得中国对外国投资者的吸引力越来越大。

Amid its pursuit of high-quality development and economic structural upgrades， China has become increasingly attractive to foreign investors due to long-term development prospects and a continuously improving business environment， analysts said on Monday.

Their comments came as the Ministry of Commerce said actual use of foreign capital surged 37.9 percent year- on-year to hit 243.7 billion yuan during the first two months of the year. That amounts to $37.86 billion in US dollar terms， up 45.2 percent year-on-year， the MOC said.

3月14日，分析人士指出，中国正在追求高质量发展和经济结构升级，长期的发展前景和持续改善的商业环境使得中国对外国投资者的吸引力越来越大。

同一天商务部公布，今年前两个月全国实际使用外資金额2437亿元人民币，同比增长37.9%，折合378.6亿美元，同比增长45.2%。

“Amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global uncertainties， China has achieved a stable and rising economic performance， while its business climate keeps improving， thanks to various policy measures the Chinese authorities have adopted to create a better growth environment for enterprises，”said Bai Ming， deputy director of international market research at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

“That makes China a perfect destination for foreign investments that seek not only profitability， but also safety，”Bai said， adding that the recent local COVID- 19 cases will not threaten China's stable economic growth and growing attractiveness to foreign investors.

Zhou Mi， a senior researcher at the CAITEC， also said China's better-than-expected performance in attracting foreign direct investment over the period reflects foreign investors' confidence in the nation's development prospects， and the growing significance of the Chinese market for them.

Analysts stressed the fast growth rates of FDI in services and high- tech industries are also a demonstration of the achievements the Chinese economy has been making in transitioning toward a growth pathway that focuses more on innovation and quality.

The MOC said actual use of foreign investment in the services sector during the January-February period totaled 175.7 billion yuan， up 24 percent year-on-year.

Investment in high-tech industries grew 73.8 percent year-on-year. In the total， investments in high-tech manufacturing and high- tech services grew 69.2 percent and 74.9 percent， respectively.

The fast growth of foreign investment in the services sector and high-tech industries echoes China's rapid development in related areas， Zhou said.

商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院国际市场研究所副所长白明表示“在新冠疫情和其他全球不确定因素的影响下，中国经济实现了稳定持续增长，中国政府采取的各种政策措施为企业创造了更好的发展环境，中国的营商环境不断改善。”

白明称“因此，中国成为那些不仅寻求利润，而且寻求安全的外国投资的完美目的地。最近出现的本土疫情不会威胁到中国稳定的经济增长和对外国投资者越来越大的吸引力。”

商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院高级研究员周密也表示，这一时期中国在吸引外商直接投资方面的表现好于预期，反映了外国投资者对中国发展前景的信心，中国市场对他们越来越重要。

分析人士强调，服务业和高科技行业的外商直接投资快速增长，也显示了中国经济在向更注重创新和质量的增长路径转型方面取得成果。

商务部表示，今年1-2月服务业实际使用外资1757亿元，同比增长24%。

高新技术产业外国投资同比增长73.8%。其中，对高科技制造业和高科技服务业的外国投资分别增长了69.2%和74.9%。

周密称，服务业和高科技产业的外国投资快速增长与中国在相关领域的快速发展相呼应。

“The phenomenon has come amid the worldwide trend of increased online economic activity such as pandemic-related transactions and technological progress.

More importantly， with growing emphasis on high technology- powered development， China has been creating more favorable conditions to encourage foreign investment in high-tech sectors.”

According to Bai， the country's ongoing upgrades in manufacturing have been presenting fast- growing opportunities for foreign investors in high- tech areas， resulting in an obvious improvement in the nation's FDI structure and quality.

He also said China's continuous efforts to attract foreign investment， including pruning of negative lists for foreign investment， implementation of the new Foreign Investment Law， trials in pilot free trade zones and Hainan Free Trade Port， have all created a better business climate for foreign investment.

Zhou also said the increasing amount of FDI from economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has mirrored closer trade and economic cooperation between China and those economies.

The economic rise of the central regions， thanks to the accelerated establishment of China's unified domestic market， also makes them more attractive to foreign investors， he added.

FDI from economies participating in the Belt and Road and ASEAN member states grew 27.8 percent and 25.5 percent， respectively， year-on-year， while FDI in central China grew 74.9 percent year-on-year. Growth for eastern and western regions stood at 36.6 percent and 13 percent， respectively， according to the MOC.

“這一现象出现之际，全球范围内的在线经济活动不断增加，如与新冠疫情有关的业务和技术进步。

更重要的是，中国越来越重视高科技驱动的发展，一直在创造更有利的条件，鼓励对高科技行业的外国投资。”

白明称，中国制造业的持续升级为外国投资在高科技领域的快速增长提供了机会，中国的外商直接投资结构和质量明显改善。

他还表示，中国持续努力吸引外资，不断缩减外资准入负面清单、实施新的外商投资法、在自由贸易试验区和海南自由贸易港进行试点，为外国投资创造了更好的商业环境。

周密称，加入“一带一路”倡议的经济体和东盟的外商直接投资增加，体现出中国与这些经济体之间的贸易和经济合作更加紧密。

中国加速建立国内统一市场，中部地区经济崛起，对外国投资者的吸引力增加。

加入“一带一路”倡议的经济体和东盟成员国的外商直接投资分别同比增长27.8%和25.5%，而我国中部地区的外商直接投资同比增长74.9%。商务部数据显示，我国东西部地区的外商直接投资增长率分别为36.6%和13%。