BEIJING, March 21 -- China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) increased 10 percent year on year to 149.64 billion yuan (about 21.09 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months of the year, official data showed Thursday.

Non-financial ODI in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative came in at 33.18 billion yuan during the period, an increase of 0.6 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The turnover of contracted projects overseas grew 9 percent year on year to 138.06 billion yuan, the ministry said.