Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Chinese mainland in actual use climbed six percent in November from the same period last year, the Ministry of Commerce said Saturday.
From January to November, the actual use of FDI stood at 749.7 billion yuan (about 104 billion U.S. dollars), down 27.9 percent year on year. This decline narrowed by 1.9 percentage points compared to January to October, marking the third consecutive month of narrowing decline.
In the first 11 months, 52,379 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide, representing a year-on-year growth of 8.9 percent. This marks the highest level in history for the same period.
The proportion of actual use of FDI in high-tech manufacturing rose 0.3 percentage points compared to the same period last year.
Investment from some developed economies has continued to grow, with actual investment from Germany up 10.9 percent year on year, from Singapore up 4.8 percent, and from Switzerland up four percent. Investment from ASEAN countries climbed 6.4 percent year on year.
China's FDI inflow rises 6 pct in November
As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, global anticipation is soaring ahead of the biggest ever edition of the showpiece soccer event, with orders for related goods surging in Yiwu, an eastern Chinese city known as "the world's supermarket".
The expanded 2026 tournament will feature a record number of 48 teams and see the competition being hosted across three countries for the first time, with matches scheduled to take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
In the sports goods section of the Yiwu International Trade Market in Zhejiang Province, buyers from all around the world can be seen enthusiastically patrolling the huge marketplace with lengthy order lists, searching for the products they need.
With replica jerseys, memorabilia items, and top-quality sports gear all on offer, vendors are keen to tap into the fan fever ahead of the international footballing extravaganza.
For many, the World Cup is a once-every-four-years highlight, and with this year's tournament set to be bigger than ever, business opportunities are in abundance.
"Since the tournament is being hosted by three countries, the volume may be even higher than before. Orders could increase by 50 percent compared to previous World Cups. Today, we are also preparing an order to be shipped by air," said Chen Jian, a vendor at the Yiwu International Trade Market.
As sales climb, production lines are also running at full speed. In a local football factory, machines roar and workers skillfully glue and stitch, turning out brand-new footballs on the assembly line. As the 2026 World Cup fast approaches, the company's football-related sales have skyrocketed, with daily output reaching 4,000 balls and the firm seeing almost no inventory backlog.
According to customs data, exports of sports goods and equipment from Yiwu reached 2.34 billion yuan (about 340 million U.S. dollars) in January and February 2026, up 38.5 percent year on year.
The Yiwu International Trade Market has become an important center for foreign trade, housing nearly 80,000 booths offering over two million types of commodities, with the market maintaining trade ties with 233 countries and regions worldwide.
World Cup fever drives export boom from China's Yiwu as orders surge
