Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, rose 22.3 percent year on year to 758.05 billion yuan, or 113.78 billion U.S. dollars, in the first eight months of the year, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday.

Foreign investment in the service industry came in at 599.33 billion yuan during the period, up 25.8 percent year on year, with foreign investment in the high-tech services sector rising 35.2 percent.

During the period, investments from the Belt and Road countries expanded 37.6 percent, and investment from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations rose 36.8 percent, respectively.

The foreign investment used by China's eastern, central, and western regions climbed 23 percent, 30.1 percent, and 1.6 percent, respectively.

MOC spokesperson Shu Jueting said that foreign-invested enterprises played a unique and significant role in China's new development paradigm.

While investing in China, foreign-invested companies have brought advanced technology, managerial expertise, and a global marketing network, Shu said.

The country would push forward higher-level opening-up, continue to widen market access, push for the early implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and actively participate in building high-standard international investment rules.