BEIJING - The foreign ministry said on Tuesday that China remains a hot spot for foreign investment, after EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom criticized China's treatment of European companies.

Malmstrom expressed concern about intellectual property rights and discrimination against EU businesses in China in a speech at a university in Beijing.

"Whether the foreign investment environment in China is good or not is a matter for the market. Facts and statistics speak louder than anything else," spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily press briefing.

From January to April this year, 8,298 foreign companies opened their doors in China, 6.5 percent more than in the same period last year. Among them, 555 are from the EU, an increase of 5.1 percent.

Lu stressed that China's policy toward foreign investment will not change. According to him, China will continue to create sound environment for foreign enterprises and protect their rights.