Encouragement will be given to more foreign investment in energy-saving and environmentally-friendly industries by the Chinese government, Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong has said. The government would increase efforts to optimize the industrial structure of foreign investment, said Ma.

Foreign investors have invested US$665 billion in China in the past 27 years, Ma said.

By the end of last September China had recorded capital from over 200 countries and regions and more than 800 research centers have been established by foreign firms. 

Foreign investment played an important role in China's economy with taxes from these firms contributing 634.9 billion yuan (US$80.36 billion) last year. This accounts for 21 percent of the country's total tax revenue.

By the end of last year foreign-invested companies were employing more than 25 million people which is 11 percent of China's total jobs.

Foreign companies are also being encouraged to set up regional headquarters, as well as purchase, logistics and training centers in China.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2006)