In the first nine months of the year, foreign direct investment (FDI) in China declined 4.3% year-on-year to CNY 548.8 billion (USD 82.2 billion), easing slightly from the 5.3% drop recorded in the first eight months of 2026. Over the same period, China’s outbound non-financial direct investment reached USD 101 billion. According to the country’s vice commerce minister, China’s ability to attract foreign capital has been constrained by mounting geopolitical tensions, subdued economic growth momentum, and a rise in protectionist and unilateral measures globally. Nonetheless, foreign investment in high-tech industries surged 33.8% between January and September, driven primarily by strong inflows into development and design services.