Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China still has strong potential to grow despite the ongoing financial crisis, said Li Zhiqun, director of the Foreign Investment Department of the Ministry of Commerce.

Though the global financial crisis has dampened the willingness and capacity of multinationals to invest and hindered the global flow of capital, "China's political stability, rapid industrialization, urbanization and overall development still provide abundant opportunities for FDI," Li said.

The official, who just visited the Changhe-Suzuki Auto Co in Jiujiang of Jiangxi province, said its Japanese investors told him that they are delighted to see growth in sales in the first half of this year after China implemented a strategy to promote vehicle sales in rural areas.