Foreign investment into China rose 5.2 percent in July compared to the previous year, largely on the back of mergers and acquisitions by overseas firms, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday. Overall foreign direct investment (FDI), which excludes financial sectors, was $8.22 billion last month, the ministry said, and $76.63 billion in the first seven months of the year, a 7.9 percent increase. "The amount and the proportion of foreign capital mergers and acquisitions rose sharply between January and July," it said in a statement.