Chinese eases rules, pledges support to attract foreign investors

China is stepping up efforts to attract foreign businesses after inbound investment fell to its lowest level since 1992. The Commerce Ministry plans to engage with foreign firms to address concerns and coordinate with local authorities for resolution. An action plan released Wednesday aims to stabilise investment by removing market access restrictions in manufacturing, ensuring equal treatment of local and foreign firms, and improving credit access. This follows similar measures in 2023 to counter the post-pandemic slump. Despite these efforts, foreign firms have scaled back investments, with net inflows reaching just USD4.5bn last year. The government’s renewed push underscores its urgency to regain investor confidence amid ongoing economic challenges.