China's overseas direct investment (ODI) from non-financial sectors totalled $11.4 billion in the first four months this year, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Monday.

In April alone, non-financial ODI stood at $3.88 billion, up 35.7 percent from March, said ministry spokesman Yao Jian at a press conference.

Business volume in overseas-contracted projects in the first four months hit $23.08 billion, up 28.7 percent year on year, he said.

New contracts valued at $36.64 billion were signed in the in January-April period, down 17.8 percent from a year earlier.

China's non-financial ODI in the first quarter stood at $7.52 billion, up 103.3 percent from the corresponding period last year, covering 957 overseas enterprises in 102 countries and regions, according to the MOC.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2010)