Chinese Investment in Australia Plunges 36 Percent

Chinese investors are now favouring Australia’s healthcare industry over mining.

Euro, Hong Kong dollar, U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, British pound, and Chinese 100-yuan banknotes are seen in a picture illustration on Jan. 21, 2016. Jason Lee/Reuters

Chinese overseas direct investment (ODI) in Australia plunged to the second-lowest level since 2006, with healthcare overtaking mining as the key industry.

Chinese ODI fell 36 percent to $1.34 billion (US$886 million) in 2023 from $2.1 billion in the prior year, according to the Demystifying Chinese Investment in Australia (April 2024) report (pdf), jointly published by the University of Sydney Business School and KPMG.