China is intensifying its efforts to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and promote two-way investment cooperation, officials and experts said ahead of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT). The event, scheduled for September 8 to 11 in Xiamen, Fujian province, aims to strengthen China’s position as a key destination and origin of international investment.

At a news conference in Beijing, Ling Ji, vice-minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, noted that delegations from 123 countries and regions are attending, with 60 participating as exhibitors. Finland and Saudi Arabia are guest countries of honor this year. Saudi Arabia will send a substantial economic delegation for the first time, reflecting a 343.7 percent year-on-year increase in Saudi investment in China during the first seven months of 2026.

Zhao Zenglian, vice-governor of Fujian province, said the exhibition area will cover 200,000 square meters and feature 14 specialized zones across three main sections: “Invest in China,” “Chinese investment,” and “International investment.” The fair continues to attract strong interest from foreign firms and business associations.

Ling highlighted a shift in foreign investors’ priorities, moving beyond traditional factors such as labor and land costs to focus on China’s industrial ecosystem, infrastructure, green energy availability, and computing capacity. This trend is underscored by recent data showing a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase in newly established foreign-invested enterprises to 37,711 in the first seven months of 2026. During the same period, utilized FDI totaled 438.33 billion yuan ($65.23 billion), with the rate of decline slowing compared to the previous year.

Investment in high-tech industries showed especially strong growth, rising 32.7 percent year-on-year and comprising more than 40 percent of total FDI, according to Ling. Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, observed that amid increasing protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty, foreign companies are seeking to deepen investments in China as a way to mitigate external risks.

Regarding outbound investment, Ling reported that China’s outward FDI flows increased 11.1 percent year-on-year in 2025, reaching $213.58 billion. The country’s accumulated outward FDI now stands at $3.4 trillion, maintaining its rank among the world’s top three investors for the ninth consecutive year.

A recent State Council report on the implementation of this year’s national economic and social development plan, reviewed by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, emphasized expanding economic and trade cooperation, increasing service trade, and promoting balanced trade growth. It also called for improved outbound investment management, enhanced support services for Chinese firms operating overseas, and strengthened efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment more effectively.