'Next China is still China': Experts laud the economy's FDI higher quality

The quality of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China has notably improved, and the next China is still in China, experts said in CGTN's "Talking China" debate show aired on Tuesday.

In rebuke to speculations about the so-called massive withdrawal from the Chinese market of foreign capital, Wang Wen, dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, said China is still one of the top three countries in the world in terms of FDI attractions.

China's FDI quality has notably improved, with growth in medical equipment, professional technical services and computer manufacturing, he said.

Over 50,000 new foreign-invested enterprises were established in China in 2024, marking a 9.9 percent increase year on year, Wang noted.

He also stressed that China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) rose 10.5 percent year on year in 2024, further solidifying its position as a major player in outward investment.

Li Cheng, founding director of the Center on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong, noted that concerns of some U.S. businesses in China are less to do with China, but more with the U.S. government's restrictive policies.

"The real issue here is whether China's basic in its economic prospects is good or bad. I think it is very good," Li said.

He said some criticism of China's market is really taken out of context, without proper comparing with other economies.

"If China's market is not good, so tell me – which market is good?" asked Li. "The next China is still in China in term of huge market development," he concluded.

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