Multinational firms confident in China's economic prospects

Despite China's cooling economy, the enthusiasm of the world's top 500 firms for setting up new business in the nation shows no signs of abating.

The multinationals' optimism in China's economic outlook helped the country attract 781.4 billion yuan ($126.3 billion) in nonfinancial foreign direct investment in 2015 despite the economic slowdown, up 6.4 percent from 2014, said the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

"The world's top 500 companies are still optimistic about the Chinese market and investment prospects, and their continuous investment and expansion in the country reflect a commitment to China's economic outlook," said Tang Wenhong, director-general of the Ministry of Commerce's department of foreign investment administration.