The Ministry of Commerce and National Statistics Bureau released the first report on China's direct investment in overseas market for 2003. The result of the survey shows that last year 2.9 billion USD flowed out of China as direct investment to overseas market. The net investment was 2.85 billion USD after the capital inflow into China by investors making direct investment overseas was deducted.

This represents an increase of 5.5 percent over the previous year. By 2003, the 3439 Chinese businesses making presence in overseas turf had invested 33.4 billion USD in the overseas market. The net amount came to 33.2 billion USD when their investment in China was taken into account.

Beijing and coastal provinces and cities are more active in making direct overseas investment. Guang Dong Province has contributed the most to China's investment in overseas market.

The statistics is the first written report that China has ever released to the public about China's non-financial direct investment in overseas market.

By People' s Daily Online