China was named the biggest buyer in the world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the first quarter of the year, global financial data provider Dealogic said in a report.

The recent report coincides with the latest data released by Thomson Reuters stipulating that China's cross-border M&A activity reached $95 billion between January and March, 91 percent of which was outbound investment. This is a 136 percent year-on-year.

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The massive investment was reportedly boosted by the yuan's strong value and a more relaxed policy for foreign direct investment.

Of the global M&A activity, China accounted for 44 percent, up 8 percent from the first quarter in 2015 and the one strong spot amid the slowing market.

Compared with the same quarter in 2015, worldwide M&A activity has plummeted 18 percent, the slowest first quarter in two years. Furthermore, there were only more than 9,000 deals made worldwide, down 10 percent year-on-year.

The materials sector appeared to be the strongest outbound Chinese investment. Trailing behind are the industrial and technology businesses. In fact, the biggest deal made in the first quarter,  also dubbed as the largest takeover in the chemical sector, was China National Chemical Corp's all-cash $43.8 billion agreement to acquire Swiss firm Syngenta by CNAC Saturn.

Dalian Wanda, operator of a cinema chain, has been on a shopping spree, buying US studio Legendary Entertainment and film company Carmike Cinemas. China's shipping group is also purchasing electronics distributor Ingram Micro for nearly $6 billion.

M&A activity on emerging markets, which had a total value of $281 billion in the first quarter of this year, was boosted by China as well. 

Tagschina, merger and acquisition, M&A, RMB, Dealogic, Reuters