Beijing, (NNN-Xinhua) : China’s outbound direct investment (ODI) will slow down steadily but be of better quality in 2017, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) here.

Despite rapid ODI growth in 2016, Chinese companies face increased risks in investing overseas because of fluctuations on international financial markets, uncertainties in other country’s economic policy and restrictions imposed by some developed countries on investments from China, particularly from Chinese State-owned firms, Ministry Spokesperson Sun Jiwen at a media briefing Thursday.

The Ministry will support authentic, legal outbound investment by capable and qualified Chinese companies, Sun told the media.

Measures will be taken to prevent risks in outbound investment, to regulate the market and to encourage investment in the real economy and in emerging industries.

China’s non-financial services sector ODI soared 44.1 per cent 170 billion US dollars in 2016.