SHANGHAI, Jan 14: China’s foreign direct investment rose 14.9 per cent in 2001 compared with the previous year, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation website said on Monday.

Actual FDI rose to $46.85bn, while contracted FDI rose 10.43pc to $69.19bn. During the year, the country gave approval for the establishment of 26,139 new foreign-invested enterprises, 16.01 per cent more than the approvals received in 2000, bringing the total number of foreign firms in China to 390,484 the ministry added.—AFP