China has reportedly spent more in the world than the world has spent in China
For the first time, Chinese companies have invested more abroad than foreign companies have invested in China, data for 2015 showed last week, according to BBC.
Overseas investment rose 18.3% to a record US$145 billion, compared to US$135.6 billion of foreign investment.
It comes as China's economy last year reportedly grew at its slowest pace in 25 years.
Slowing growth has seen many Chinese firms on a shopping spree abroad, picking up US and European firms for know-how, technology and influence.
The past year's takeovers included Italian tyremaker Pirelli, US film studios Legendary, Swiss seed giant Syngenta and German robotics company Kuka.
Outbound direct investment by China's financial institutions rose by an even higher margin, up 26% to US$24.4 billion government data showed.
The world's second largest economy has seen slowing growth over the past years, with Beijing pushing for a reform to transform China from an export-led economy to a consumer-led economy.
China earned the label of being "the factory of the world" from decades of manufacturing activity, the main driver of its rapid economic growth.
But factory activity has drastically slowed, as foreign companies relocate to cheaper manufacturing bases around Southeast Asia, BBC reports.
