Current focus: In January, the actual use of foreign capital in China was 127.69 billion yuan, and the growth rate in central and western regions was higher than the national average

(Data pictures are for reference only)

"Planting the sycamore tree will attract the phoenix." Speaking of the "achievements" of absorbing foreign capital in January, Liu Xiangdong, vice minister of the Economic Research Department of the China International Economic Exchange Center, said in an interview with the Securities Daily.

On February 20, the Ministry of Commerce released data showing that in January 2023, the actual use of foreign capital nationwide was 127.69 billion yuan, up 14.5% year on year (equivalent to 19.02 billion dollars, up 10%).

Xiao Benhua, vice president of the Free Trade Zone Research Institute of Shanghai Lixin Institute of Accounting and Finance, said in an interview with the Securities Daily that in January 2023, China's attraction of foreign capital ushered in a "good start", which not only continued to maintain a high growth rate, but also further optimized the industrial structure and regional structure of attracting foreign capital, The high-tech manufacturing industry and high-tech service industry have seen rapid growth, and the growth rate in the central and western regions is higher than the national average.

The data shows that in January 2023, the actual use of foreign capital in manufacturing increased by 40.4%; The actual use of foreign capital in high-tech industries increased by 62.8%, high-tech manufacturing by 74.5%, and high-tech services by 59.6%.

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed that "the negative list of foreign capital access should be reduced reasonably". Chen Chunjiang, assistant minister of the Ministry of Commerce, said at the European Enterprise Forum on February 9 that the Ministry of Commerce would continue to promote the relaxation of foreign capital market access, steadily expand institutional opening, and constantly improve the level of opening up. Wang Wentao, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, said when he went to Yantai and Qingdao, Shandong Province, to investigate the attraction and utilization of foreign capital from February 16 to 17 that "we will continue to expand market access together with relevant departments and local governments".

"It is expected to further expand opening up in modern services and advanced manufacturing industries, such as education, health care, culture, scientific and technological innovation," said Xiao Benhua.

According to the data of the Ministry of Commerce, in terms of regional distribution, in January 2023, the actual use of foreign capital in the eastern, central and western regions of China increased by 13.4%, 25.9% and 21.6% respectively.

Liu Xiangdong said that in the first month of the year, the growth rate of attracting foreign investment in central and western China was relatively strong. Next, we should promote local governments to adjust measures to local conditions and give full play to their respective advantages to attract foreign investment in China. Among them, the eastern region can give play to its advantages of good economic foundation and complete industrial supporting facilities to realize industrial upgrading and further optimize the structure; The central and western regions can give play to the advantages of labor force, land resources, etc., actively undertake the industrial transfer in the eastern region, and form a mutually supportive industrial chain with the eastern region, so as to attract more high-quality foreign capital and retain high-quality stock foreign capital.

As for how to attract and utilize foreign capital more vigorously this year, Xiao Benhua said that all regions should take deepening the reform of "deregulation, regulation and service" as a long-term mechanism for attracting investment, seize the "bull nose" of improving the business environment, do a good job in the service of foreign-funded enterprises, and let foreign capital "get in", "stay" and "develop well". The eastern region can take advantage of the talent intensive advantage to further increase the attraction of foreign capital in the modern service industry, while the central and western regions can take advantage of the industrial space advantage to focus on attracting foreign capital in advanced manufacturing.

"It is necessary to provide more convenient space for foreign-funded enterprises to invest in China, including implementing measures to facilitate cross-border exchanges of personnel and customs clearance of goods; at the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, adhere to the principle of treating domestic and foreign funded enterprises equally; in addition, it is necessary to use the advantages of the domestic super large market to support foreign investment in China, and carry out mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with Chinese funded enterprises." Liu Xiangdong further analyzed.

label: National average