(Yicai Global) Oct. 28 -- Overseas investors were more content with China’s business environment in the third quarter compared with the second quarter, as their investment sin the country rose, according to a new report from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Satisfaction with market access among foreign-funded enterprises was 2 percentage points higher in the three months ended Sept. 30, CCPIT spokesperson Sun Xiao said at a press briefing to launch the report yesterday. In terms of market competition, acquisition of business operation sites, and financial services, satisfaction was up 1.8 point, 1.5 point, and 1.4 point, respectively.

Nearly 90 percent of the foreign companies polled by the CCPIT were very satisfied with the policies China has implemented to ensure the stability of the industrial and supply chains, encourage foreign investment, as well as cut taxes and fees, Sun added.

Foreign businesses believe China should improve its Covid-19 prevention and control policies, make policy formulation more scientific and complete, and create an efficient service-oriented government to perfect the business environment, Sun noted.

The actual use of foreign capital in China exceeded CNY1 trillion (USD138.3 billion) in the first three quarters, a jump of 15.6 percent from a year earlier, according to data disclosed by the commerce ministry yesterday. Investments from Germany, South Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom rose 114 percent, 91 percent, 40 percent, and 22 percent, respectively.

A number of government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission, recently issued a joint document proposing to optimize the investment environment for foreign investors and improve the support for foreign-backed businesses by implementing measures such as allowing foreign capital greater access to the manufacturing sector, welcoming more key overseas-funded projects, and letting eligible foreign-backed firms go public in China.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Futura Costaglione