China's actual inward foreign direct investment rose by 51 per cent year-on-year in the first four months of this year to reach US$17.8bn, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The amount for April alone was US$4.74bn, 37 per cent higher than the same period last year. However, this growth rate was much lower that the 57 per cent increase recorded in the first three months of this year.
Contracted investment, an indicator of future growth, grew by 27.2 per cent yearon- year in April to US$7.55bn after surging 50 per cent in the first quarter to US$30.5bn.