Bank of China Ltd, one of China's four biggest commercial lenders in market value, sees greater business potential by expanding into overseas markets.

"BOC, the most internationalized Chinese lender, seeks to be the right partner for many Chinese companies hoping to achieve more success by expanding abroad," said the bank.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) from China has risen steadily in the past nine years. Non-financial direct investments from China to 132 countries and regions exceeded $60 billion, 1.8 percent higher from a year earlier, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce on Jan 18.