BEIJING — Overseas investors have stepped up holdings of Chinese securities in the first half (H1) of this year as the country further opens its capital market.

In H1, China's securities market saw net inflows of overseas funds totaling $64.3 billion, up 4 percent year-on-year, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said in a report.

Net inflows into Chinese equities reached $16.7 billion, up 129 percent year-on-year, the report showed.

Overseas holdings of Chinese securities have seen steady increase in the past few years as the country rolled out a series of measures to broaden capital market access for foreign investors.

By the end of June, the value of bonds and stocks held by overseas investors totaled $737.5 billion, 3.2 times of that at the end of 2015, the report said.

The administration expected stable securities investments from overseas investors in the second half of this year as the country further pushes financial opening-up.