China's mainland reported a 41.6 percent year-on-year surge in the actual use of investment from other areas in the first eight months of this year.

Investment inflow reached US$67.73 billion from January to August, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

Zhang Hanya, a researcher with the National Development and Reform Commission, said the impressive growth indicated investors' confidence in China's sustained and rapid economic growth.

"With a large population of 1.3 billion, China is a huge market for investors even if the economic expansion slows a little," Zhang said.

The mainland approved the establishment of 18,797 enterprises funded with outside investment in the first eight months, down 24.35 percent from the same period last year.

The figures reflected the endeavor to increase the quality of investments from the outside, said Zhang.

(Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2008)