According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Commerce on January 21, China’s foreign non-financial direct investment in 2020 was US$110.15 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 0.4%, but investment in countries along the “Belt and Road” increased by 18.3%, accounting for up to 16.2%.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, in 2020, China’s newly signed contracts for projects along the “Belt and Road” reached US$141.46 billion, and the completed turnover was US$91.12 billion, accounting for 55.4% and 58.4% of the total over the same period.

Analysts believe that in recent years, along the “Belt and Road” has become a hot spot for Chinese enterprises to invest abroad, but it is not yet China’s main destination for overseas direct investment. In the future, China's investment in the countries along the “Belt and Road” will still have broad room for development.

Wang Bijun, an associate researcher at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that in the areas along the "Belt and Road", China's investment in ASEAN has a great potential for growth. As the ASEAN region has the advantage of being an overseas fulcrum of the “Belt and Road” initiative, Chinese companies should make full use of the investment advantages of the ASEAN region to make arrangements early. However, due to the high risks along the “Belt and Road”, Chinese companies should prepare for corresponding risk prevention and management.

In terms of different industries, in 2020, Chinese companies' foreign investment will mainly flow to leasing and business services, wholesale and retail, scientific research and professional technical services, and power production and supply. Among them, foreign investment in wholesale and retail industries grew the fastest, reaching 27.8%; investment in scientific research and technical services followed by 18.1%.