BEIJING — China's nonfinancial outbound direct investment (ODI) reached 170.95 billion yuan in the first three months of the year, up 6.3 percent year-on-year, official data showed on April 21.

In US dollar terms, the ODI rose 8.5 percent from a year ago to 26.92 billion dollars, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

In the first quarter, nonfinancial direct investment into countries along the Belt and Road increased 19 percent year-on-year to $5.26, the data showed.

The ODI into wholesale and retail surged 36.3 percent from a year earlier to $5.45, while investment into the manufacturing sector increased 13.3 percent, said the ministry.