China's capital registered  US$2.01 billionof overseas investment in the first 11 months of the year, up 16.9 percent from the same period last year.

The growth rate was 17 percentage points more than the national average, said Yan Ligang, spokesman for the Municipal Bureau of Commerce.

The city approved 1,234 overseas financed ventures, with contractual overseas investment amounting to  US$2.75 billion, up 7.2 percent. Of the overseas backed ventures, 759 were engaged in service trades, including wholesale and retail, and financial services.
 
(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2003)