Foreign direct investment (FDI) growth in China recovered in July, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday.

FDI in Mainland China increased 5.2 percent year-on-year in July to 50.6 billion yuan (US$8.2 billion).

China’s Ministry of Commerce noted July’s growth was an acceleration from the 0.7 percent rise recorded in June.

FDI in Mainland China in the January-July period grew 7.9 percent year-on-year to 471.1 billion yuan.

Huang Feng, Vice Director of the foreign investment department of the Ministry, said – quoted by Xinhua – that several major international firms were increasing their investment in hi-tech services and manufacturing in China.

According to the news agency, foreign investment in China’s high-tech service sector surged 63.3 percent in the first seven months of 2015 to US$4.9 billion compared to the same period last year.

Xinhua also pointed out FDI inflows from the European Union increased 18.4 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2015, totalling US$4.5 billion. France in particular posted a remarkable growth in investment in China, news agency Reuters added, quoting Mr Huang.