Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Chinese mainland registered steady growth in the first three months of the year, indicating the world's second-largest economy remained a popular destination for global investors.

今年1-3月外国对华投资稳步增长，这意味着我国作为世界第二大经济体仍然对全球投资者具有很大吸引力。

The FDI inflow, in actual use, expanded 4.9 percent year on year to 408.45 billion yuan (about 59.2 billion US dollars) in the January-March period, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

商务部4月20日表示，1-3月，全国实际使用外资4084.5亿元人民币，同比增长4.9%。

More than 10,000 new foreign-invested companies were established in this period, a 25.5-percent increase year on year.

1-3月，新设外商投资企业超过1万家，同比增长25.5%。

In terms of sector-wise figures, FDI in the high-tech industries increased by 18 percent from the same period a year ago, according to the ministry.

商务部称，从各领域的数据来看，高技术产业实际使用外资同比增长18%。

Specifically, the electronic and telecom equipment manufacturing sector saw FDI surge by 55.7 percent.

其中，电子及通信设备制造领域实际使用外资同比增长55.7%。

FDI in services related to research and development (RD) and design expanded by 24.6 percent, while that in pharmaceutics rose by 20.2 percent.

研发与设计服务、医药制造领域引资分别增长24.6%和20.2%。

There has been continued improvement in terms of the quality and structure of FDI in China, said ministry spokesperson Shu Jueting. She attributed the improvement to the establishment of foreign-funded RD centers, the efforts to attract investment in manufacturing, and the country's new industry catalog to encourage foreign investment.

商务部发言人束珏婷介绍，我国引资结构持续优化，这应归功于外资研发中心、制造业引资和新版《鼓励外商投资产业目录》等政策的效应。

During the January-March period, investment from France and Germany surged by 635.5 percent and 60.8 percent year on year, respectively. FDI from the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and the Republic of Korea also recorded stellar growth.

1-3月，法国、德国对华投资同比分别增长635.5%和60.8%。此外，英国、加拿大、日本、瑞士、韩国对华投资也大幅增长。

FDI from countries along the Belt and Road saw a 27.8-percent increase during these months, according to the ministry.

商务部称，1-3月，“一带一路”沿线国家投资增长27.8%。

China has rolled out multiple measures to open up wider to the world. One of the fresh moves came on Wednesday, as the country vowed to appropriately shorten the negative list for foreign investment.

中国出台了扩大开放的多项举措，4月20日刚宣布将合理缩减外资准入负面清单。

To this end, efforts have been made to evaluate the effect of the list over the past few years and learn about the demands of foreign-invested enterprises, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

国家发展改革委称，目前正在评估过去几年外资准入负面清单的实施效果，深入了解外资企业的诉求。

Earlier this month, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said that China welcomes more multinational companies to tap into the Chinese market, expand their investment and grow along with China's economic development.

国务院副总理何立峰本月早些时候表示，中国诚挚欢迎更多跨国企业深耕中国市场，扩大在华投资，与中国经济同成长共发展。