The mainland has overtaken Japan to become the second biggest source of outbound direct investment (ODI) in the world, according to official data.

According to a report issued by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the National Bureau of Statistics and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Thursday, China’s ODI, including both financial and non-financial sectors, jumped 18.3 percent year-on-year to a record high of US$145.67 billion last year.

It was the 13th consecutive year of growth in Chinese ODI, the Reuters news agency reports.

China is now also a net exporter of capital, with ODI surpassing foreign direct investment for the first time, says Commerce Ministry Deputy China International Trade Representative Zhang Xiangchen.