Chinese companies' overseas investment rose 10.4 percent year on year in the first three quarters this year, even as global investment as a whole dropped sharply, according to Zhang Xiaoqiang, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Chinese companies invested $36.3 billion overseas in the first three quarters, excluding investments in financial sectors.

From January to September, Chinese companies invested in 2,246 overseas enterprises in 118 countries and regions.

China has emerged as a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows. Although global FDI outflows dropped 40 percent year on year in 2009, China's overseas investments rose 14.2 percent year on year to $47.8 billion.