A Study On The Spatial Distribution Of Foreign Direct Investment In The United States

Foreign direct investment is the main engine to promote regional and world economic development in the era of economic globalization. As the largest economies in the world, The United States has Perfect infrastructure, developed financial market, the world’s leading technology and research and development ability and the best global business environment, which become the biggest host countries for foreign direct investment. China’s direct investment in the United States starts relatively late and the initial investment scale is small, but with the continuous improvement of China’s economic strength and international status, China’s direct investment in the United States developments fastly. By the end of2012, China’s direct investment flowing to the United States is＄4,048billions.The United States becomes the second Investment destination. In addition to, China’s direct investment to the United States has more than America’s direct investment to China in2013. However, the United States owns the vast area, each state’s geographical position, natural environment and social and economic development level is not balanced, make the investment environment of states differentiation, the attraction of foreign direct investment is uneven, resulting in dynamic change of regional spatial pattern of the foreign direct investment in the United States. Therefore, study the space distribution features of foreign direct investment will be particularly important, especially for China’s direct investment location choice to provide guidance value.After reading a lot of both Chinese and English literatures about foreign direct investment to the United States, finds that previous studies have focused on the investment motivation, investment way and investment purposes and locational determinants of foreign direct investment to the United States, as for the study of spatial distribution characteristics is less. Therefore, This article reviews and summarizes the the development process of foreign direct investment in the United States, attempts from the perspective of space, using qualitative and quantitative analysis method, using ArcGIS9.3from the United States foreign direct investment scale, investment density and per capita investment from three aspects of foreign direct investment in space distribution to reflect the status of the United States as a whole to accept foreign direct investment; Then choose50states in the United States and the district of Columbia as sample, in combination with literature which can directly or indirectly reflect the selection by the foreign direct investment environment to choose21indicators as dependent variable, using SPSS13.0software to carry on the principal component analysis, and then on the basis of the data of each principal component analysis and the relationship between foreign direct investment area, and to analyze the states,attraction of foreign direct investment size. The research conclusion is as follows:Firstly, the region of Foreign direct investment in the United States is constantly expanding, the investment density of interstate gap is larger, and accepted per capita foreign direct investment by each state distribution is very uneven, the gap is bigger. As a whole, the overall spatial distribution characteristics of the foreign direct investment in the United States is bounded with the Mississippi River, between the east and west contrasts obviously, east of the Mississippi River investment ratio is high, the density is big, the per capita amount of investment is also relatively more; west States of the Mississippi River investment differences, such as California and Texas, economy, science and technology strong comprehensive strength, and therefore its foreign direct investment has more, but because is located in the mountainous area, such as Montana, Idaho, Wyoming,the economy is relatively backward, the foreign direct investment is less. So, from the spatial distribution characteristics of foreign direct investment scale, investment density and average per capita investment can be concluded that:the United States in attracting foreign direct investment have their own advantages, each state because of its unique advantages could become a destination for foreign direct investment.Secondly, The spatial distribution of foreign direct investment in the United States has focused mainly on economic, scientific and technological strength, a vast market and social stability, regions with high spending power of the coastal states, primarily Florida, California, New York, etc.; And north-central region and northeast in the coastal area is lesser states which has less attractive to foreign investors. Economy, science and technology strength is the first choice for the foreign investors to invest in the United States directly. California, New York, Illinois, Texas, the strongest comprehensive strength, is the most favourite investment destination for direct foreign investors. And the area which is lesser, relatively small population, economic strength strong states also become investment destination for foreign direct investors in the United States. Such as Alaska, Hawaii, New York. Social stability is an important factor to consider by foreign investors at any time, only the good social order and social stability, the investment can be guaranteed. Per capita personal income, social stability and states the per capita amount of investment, the unemployment rate showed a negative correlation; And the social stability of the volatile, have no stability. Therefore, this factor has great influence on foreign direct investment, the foreign direct investors should be cautious when choosing investment destination.Thirdly, the spatial distribution of China direct investment in the United States is consistent with the comprehensive strength of the us states distribution convergence, and presents us out from the coast to inland, from southwest to northeast gradually decreasing trend. As China’s direct investment to the United States tend to be those strong comprehensive strength, obvious advantages, development history, early state. Such as the coast of California, Texas, New York, Michigan, Illinois, etc the great lakes around. Inland and mountain, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, south Dakota, the traffic isn’t convenient, economy is relatively backward, get less direct investment. China’s direct investment in the United States has huge potential, especially in the southeast coast of Louisiana, Mississippi and the northern states of Arkansas, Tennessee, their comprehensive strength in the medium level, but China is the investment is less now, so they can become a considered investment destination in the future.