BEIJING — Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland retreated mildly from a year ago in April, data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on May 18.

The FDI was 4.3 percent lower than the same period in 2016 at 59.91 billion yuan ($8.73 billion), in contrast with a 6.7-percent increase in March, according to a statement posted on the MOC’s website.

During the period, 3,343 new foreign-funded enterprises were established on the mainland, up 42.7 percent year on year.

The MOC said the situation has remained “generally stable.” Total FDI in the first four months of the year edged down 0.1 percent year on year to 286.41 billion yuan.

Nearly two-thirds of investment went to the service sector, which saw its FDI expand 5.5 percent year on year in the first four months. Investment in the construction sector soared 146.3 percent, followed by a nearly 40-percent rise in transport services and a 6.4-percent increase in the information and consulting industry.

The MOC highlighted rapid FDI growth in the high-tech service industry, citing services in environmental monitoring and improvements.

Capital pumped into the manufacturing sector accounted for around 25 percent of the total FDI.

Investment from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the European Union grew 15.7 percent, 52 percent and 9.3 percent in the January-April period, respectively.