Ambitious Chinese companies are increasing their offshore presence as they look to become global players.

Chinese companies were responsible for 46 overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the first half of 2011, jumping 31.4 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the Beijing-based Zero2IPO Research Center. The involved capital amounted to $14.74 billion, soaring 106.8 percent year on year.

As domestic firms try to graduate from low-cost manufacturing, M&As are proving to be a convenient route to the world stage. Moreover, domestic economy has steered a steady course of growth, paving way for enterprises to expand overseas, said Xu Weiqing, a senior analyst with Zero2IPO.

The M&A boom was also driven partly by China's thirst for natural resources. Of the 46 deals from January to June, nine involved the resources and mining sector, totaling $7.78 billion in value. Sinochem Group in May agreed to pay $3.07 billion for a 40-percent stake in an oilfield offshore Brazil, which is owned by Statoil, the largest oil company of Norway.

In addition, more companies are looking to snap up brands and technological know-how. For example, Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. has in February purchased all equipment and technologies from a Swedish transmission plant for 31 million euros ($42.5 million). The deal came one year after the Chinese automaker acquired intellectual property rights from General Motors' Swedish unit Saab.

Domestically, the M&A market also picked up steam. The domestic M&A deals jumped 68.4 percent to reach 389 cases, a record high since 2008. Of this total, 52 deals happened in the property sector, as deep-pocketed large developers take over their financially starved smaller rivals.