In 2015, overseas investment by Yunnan enterprises continued to maintain a high growth rate. By the end of the year, the number of Yunnan enterprises (institutions) investing in other countries reached 635, with actual overseas investment amounting to 5.76 billion US dollars. Among these, 103 enterprises engaged in overseas investment were newly established in 2015, registering direct overseas investment of 1.344 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 30.4 percent.

Yunnan companies made breakthroughs in new markets while maintaining strong positions in traditional ones. Five GMS countries (Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam) are the main overseas investment destinations for Yunnan enterprises. In 2015, Yunnan companies set up 67 subsidiaries in Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, accounting for 65 percent of foreign companies newly established by Yunnan entities over the same period. Yunnan companies actually invested 793 million US dollars in the five GMS countries, accounting for 59.4 percent of actual overseas investment over the same period. Meanwhile, Yunnan companies accelerated exploration of new markets by setting up branches in the UK, India, New Zealand and Canada. So far, Yunnan companies have invested in 45 countries.

State-owned enterprises maintained investment momentum and private enterprises also delivered remarkable performances. In 2015, the Yunnan Investment Group and other state-owned enterprises actually completed overseas investment of 655 million US dollars, accounting for 49.1 percent of the province’s overseas investment over the same period. Private enterprises were very active. Of the province’s 103 newly approved overseas investment companies, there were 89 private enterprises, accounting for 86.4 percent of the provincial total. These private enterprises invested 679 million US dollars in foreign countries over the same period, accounting for 50.9 percent of the provincial total.

Investment industries are increasingly diversified and the field of investment continues to expand. In 2015, the province’s overseas investment covered nine industries. Newly approved investment companies expanded to high-end manufacturing sectors including pharmaceutical manufacturing and emerging service sectors such as ecological protection, environmental governance, e-commerce service and the cultural industry.