Full coverage: 2016 Central Economic Work Conference

China’s Ministry of Commerce says domestic shareholders invested in about 7,500 overseas enterprises between January and November this year, with investments totalling more than U.S.$160 billion. The trend shows that the merger and acquisition deals covered a wide range of sectors.

The manufacturing sector attracted the largest number of investments. Inbound investments to China continued to grow steadily during the period.

The ministry says the number of new foreign-invested enterprises exceeded 24,000 in the first 11 month of this year with an annual growth rate of 3 percent.

Foreign investment in China reached more than U.S.$110 billion during the period, with an annual growth rate of nearly 4 percent. Investments in computer appliance services and manufacturing also saw considerable increases. In addition, investment from the U.S. and the EU has continued to increase.

“From January to November, the investments from the United States and the EU increased by 55 percent and nearly 45 percent respectively on a year-by-year basis,” said Sun Jiwen, spokesman, China’s Ministry of Commerce.

“Among the 28 countries of the EU, we have seen a considerable increase in investments from the UK, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.”