Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, expanded 17.6 percent year on year to $15.84 billion, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday.

The figure has excluded banking, securities and insurance sectors.

Foreign investment in the service industry amounted to 82.3 billion yuan last month, up 12.2 percent year on year, while inflow to high-tech industries surged 26.1 percent, the data showed.

Investments from countries along the Belt and Road and ASEAN countries increased 28.4 percent and 29.1 percent, respectively.

China's FDI inflows hit a record-high of $173.4 billion in 2021, and the country has embarked on further opening up its market.

The world's second-largest economy has further shortened its negative list at the beginning of this year. The number of items that are off-limits for foreign investors was cut to 31 in the latest version. At the same time, items on the pilot free trade zone list was cut to 27.

When the lists were first introduced in 2017, 93 and 122 items respectively were off-limits for foreign investors. China had shortened the lists for a fifth straight year by 2021.

Industries that are not included in the negative lists, foreign-invested enterprises should be given national treatment.

(With input from Xinhua)