China’s non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) increased to 16.5 per cent year-on- year to $87.3 billion in the first <g data-gr-id="10" data-style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px;">three quarters</g> of 2015 as Chinese companies invested more under the Silk Road initiative, the government said on Thursday. Foreign-contracted projects rose to $137.6 billion during the January-September period, up 26.5 <g data-gr-id="7" data-style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px;">per cent</g> from last year, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said. The accomplished turnover climbed 9.2 <g data-gr-id="8" data-style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px;">per cent</g> to $100.8 billion, the MOC said. The fast growth was led by the Belt and Road (Silk Road) Initiative, a trade and investment project initiated by China.