China remains a key destination for foreign businesses, with more companies surveyed continuing to invest in the market despite global economic uncertainties, according to a report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China on Tuesday.
The 2026 Special Report on the State of Business in South China, published by the organization, said 95 percent of participating companies report a firm commitment to maintaining operations in China.
According to the report, 45 percent of companies ranked China as their top investment priority, 6 percentage points higher than in 2024.
It noted that 75 percent of the companies surveyed plan to reinvest in China in 2026.
China also remains an important revenue source for many companies. In 2025, 37 percent of surveyed firms said more than 60 percent of their global revenue came from the Chinese market.
Notably, the report also showed that 91 percent of American companies said they would not "decouple" from China despite the U.S. government-triggered trade tensions.
"Chinese market continues to grow, and we want to continue to be a part of it. [Among] more than 2,300 members, which account for 40 percent of all U.S.-China business trade and investment in China, 77 percent of them are focusing primarily on importing and producing goods and services in China," said Harley Seyedin, chairman and president of AmCham South China.
A total of 426 companies participated in the latest survey, mainly from the United States, China and Europe. Among them, more than half are wholly foreign-owned enterprises, and 32 percent are American-invested companies.
Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong in south China, has been ranked as the top investment destination in China for the ninth consecutive year, selected by 38 percent of the respondents.
"Guangzhou has a highly comprehensive industrial chain, with over 90 percent of the industrial categories under the United Nations' broad economic classifications having a presence in the city. The overall business environment in Guangzhou is very inclusive, welcoming to all enterprises, including those with foreign investment," said Huang Yin, managing partner of Ernst & Young (EY) China South, a multinational professional services firm.
China remains attractive to foreign investment: AmCham report
