BEIJING - China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) reached 567.19 billion yuan in the first nine months of the year, up 8.5 percent year-on-year, official data showed Thursday.

In US dollar terms, the ODI rose 6.3 percent from a year ago to $85.85 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Outbound leasing and business services investment rose 26.7 percent from a year earlier to $29.32 billion.

Investment in multiple fields, including manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, as well as construction, registered growth.

In the first nine months, non-financial direct investment into countries along the Belt and Road increased 5.2 percent year-on-year to $15.65 billion.