BEIJING -- China approved fewer joint ventures but attracted more foreign direct investment in the first five months, indicating the country is still a popular destination of overseas capital, Yao Shenhong, spokesman with the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

A total of 15,072 joint ventures were approved by the ministry from January to May, down 3.75 percent year-on-year, bringing in US$25.28 billion, up 9.87 percent from a year earlier, Yao said.