China firms investing abroad at fastest pace in 8 years

Companies pump 46.6b in FDI from Jan to March, in sectors like EVs and solar energy

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China's overseas investments are heading for an eightyear high as its dominant firms build more factories abroad, a shift that could soften criticism of Beijing's export drive.

Chinese companies made 243 billion yuan (S$46.6 billion) in foreign direct investment (FDI) from January to March, data released last week showed. That was the highest first-quarter figure since 2016 - before a crackdown on capital outflows per cent from a year earlier.

Leading the push are firms in industries where China is racing ahead of rivals, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and solar energy.

These investments may help to tamp down trade tensions - by creating jobs and economic growth in overseas markets, instead of flooding them with exports that threaten to put local producers out of business.

and up almost 13 "China wants to produce overseas so the trade surplus is reduced and, most importantly, overcapacity is reduced," said Dr Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief AsiaPacific economist at Natixis. "I expect this pace to continue very aggressively. But they will still face protectionism." Geopolitical competition pecially with the United States and Europe means investment from China may not always be welcome.