Overseas buying helps push quarter's M&As past $16b

China's hunger for cutting-edge technologies and quality assets has pushed its companies to seal 142 big-ticket acquisition deals abroad in the first quarter of the year, the Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.

The total value generated from these overseas acquisitions between January and March was $16.56 billion, up 13.4 percent year-on-year.

Chinese enterprises acquired foreign companies in 15 industries including infrastructure, construction machinery and service businesses in 36 countries and regions.