Foreign direct investment (FDI) into China rose marginally in April, the government announced on Thursday, as investment into the giant from the rest of Asia remained largely static.

Incoming FDI, which excludes financial sectors, was up a mere 0.4 percent year-on-year in April to $8.44 billion, the commerce ministry said, while the figure for the first four months of 2013 rose 1.21 percent to $38.34 billion.

The vast majority of it comes from a group of 10 Asian countries and regions including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Singapore, whose investment crept up only 0.21 percent to $33.15 billion over the period.

But EU investment into the world's second-largest economy leapt 29.7 percent $2.47 billion, while investment from the US soared 33.2 percent to $1.40 billion.

"Investment from the EU and US into China increased sharply," said commerce ministry spokesman Shen Danyang.

China's overseas investment in non-financial sectors in January-April rose 27 percent year-on-year to $29.5 billion, he added.

In March, FDI had risen 5.65 percent in March to $12.4 billion.

FDI fell in 2012 for the first time in three years owing to global economic uncertainties led by Europe's debt crisis, a slowdown at home and regional political tensions.

China grew at its slowest pace in 13 years in 2012, with gross domestic product expanding 7.8 percent in the face of weakness at home and in key overseas markets.

Economic growth rebounded to 7.9 percent in the final quarter of 2012, raising hopes for a recovery, but in the first three months of this year it slowed to 7.7 percent.