BEIJING — China's outbound direct investment (ODI) increased 16.3 percent year-on-year to $178.82 billion in 2021, ranking the second in the world, an official report showed.

The country's ODI had ranked among the world's top three for ten consecutive years as of the end of 2021, according to the report jointly released by China's Ministry of Commerce, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

By the end of 2021, China's ODI stock stood at $2.79 trillion, ranking among the top three globally for five consecutive years.

Over 80 percent of China's ODI flowed into leasing and business service, wholesale and retail, manufacturing, as well as financial and transportation sectors last year, all of which recorded investments of more than $10 billion.

Investment into countries along the Belt and Road continued to grow last year, with a total amount of $24.15 billion, hitting a historic high, according to the report.