Shanghai has seen steady growth in attracting foreign capital in the first half of the year, with a significant rise in the number of new foreign capital projects. From January to June, 3,247 new foreign investment projects were launched, surging by 49.2 percent from a year earlier. The contract value of foreign investment totaled US$22.863 billion, up 6.3 percent year on year, while the actual foreign investment value added up to US$9.754 billion, an increase of 13.9 percent from the same period last year, according to the Shanghai Commission of Commerce. Shanghai has taken the lead in implementing China's opening-up policies, the major driving force in attracting foreign investment, the commission said.