BEIJING - Outbound merger and acquisition (M&A) deals by Chinese buyers increased by more than 30 percent to a new peak of 188 transactions in 2010, with a value of about $38 billion, a report from PwC said on Monday.

The United States has become a major recipient of Chinese M&A investment with 34 deals in 2010, compared with 21 in 2009. There were also 20 deals in the European Union, 17 in Africa and 16 in Japan last year, the company said.

In overseas M&A, Chinese companies dominated in the raw materials and energy sectors, accounting for about 35 percent of the total outbound deals. They were also interested in machinery and equipment manufacturers as well as automotive manufacturers in mature markets, according to the report.