China's actual foreign direct investment (FDI) rose 32.9 percent year-on-year to $12.52 billion in March, announced the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Tuesday.

The March FDI inflow rebounded from February's low of $7.8 billion. In the first three month, a total of $30.34 billion of FDI flew into China, the ministry said.

In March, 2,538 foreign-funded companies were approved, up 10.5 percent year-on-year, compared with the 2,243 and 1,156 new foreign-funded companies in January and February.

The FDI into China increased 17.4 percent from a year earlier to $105.74 billion last year.

China rencently vowed to open wider to foreign investment. In the revised Foreign Direct Investment Industry Guidelines, Chinese government encourages, for the first time, foreign companies to invest in sectors including high-tech, clean energy, aerospace and aviation, new materials, high-end manufacturing and advanced logistics.

(China.org.cn April 19, 2011)