China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) surged 10.5 percent year-on-year to $143.85 billion in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce released on Sunday.

China's investment in the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations grew by 12.6 percent on a yearly basis last year, primarily directed toward Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, said the ministry in an online statement.

From an industry perspective, the main sectors in overseas markets receiving Chinese investment were leasing and business services, manufacturing, wholesale and retail in 2024, said the statement.

The data showed that Chinese companies' non-financial ODI in countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative was $33.69 billion last year, up 5.4 percent from the previous year.

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