A bullet train runs on the China-Laos Railway's Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River super major bridge in Laos, May 28, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) rose 9.1 percent year on year to 22.97 billion U.S. dollars in the first two months of 2025, data released Thursday by the Ministry of Commerce shows.

Chinese companies' non-financial ODI in Belt and Road partner countries expanded 17.6 percent from the previous year to total 5.52 billion dollars for January to February.

During the period, the turnover of overseas projects contracted by Chinese companies amounted to 18.34 billion dollars, down 5.6 percent. The value of new contracts surged 28.7 percent to 35.34 billion dollars.

The turnover of contracted overseas projects undertaken by Chinese companies in Belt and Road partner countries was 15.06 billion dollars during the period, down 5.2 percent year on year.

The value of new contracts signed by Chinese companies in these countries totaled 30.92 billion dollars, up 33.7 percent, according to the data.