China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) jumped 55.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 from a year earlier to $40.1 billion, the Commerce Ministry said on Thursday.

China's ODI in the United States in the first quarter jumped 2.6 times on the year to $5.2 billion, the ministry said in an online statement.

Investment in Hong Kong in the first quarter rose 61 per cent on the year to $20.7 billion, it added.

Chinese companies conducted overseas mergers and acquisitions worth $16.6 billion in the first three months, the ministry said.

In March, the ODI rose 21.5 per cent from a year earlier to $10.2 billion. – Reuters