(Yicai Global) May 17 -- Chinese investors made non-financial direct investments in 2,459 foreign companies in 144 countries and regions worldwide in the first four months of this year, but with no new investment in the real estate, sports and entertainment sectors, thus showing the continued optimization of the structure of China's outbound investments, and effective curbs on irrational investment.

Domestic investors spent USD35.58 billion non-financial investments abroad, up 35 percent per year, with the leasing, business services, mining, manufacturing, information transmission, software, and the IT service sectors as the main destinations, Gao Feng, spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce told media today. Investments in the leasing and business service areas made up 28.5 percent, while those in the mining industry were 16.2 percent of the total.

Responsible agencies filed or approved the outbound investments of 2,557 enterprises worth USD38.23 billion in the period.

Chinese investors infused USD44.83 billion into foreign projects in the first third, up 14 percent per year, and signed new agreements worth USD61.40 billion, broadly flat on a year ago.

About 128,000 personnel deployed on labor contracts abroad, up 65,000 from the same period last year.

Editor: Ben Armour