One way to better understand the changes that have taken place in China as a result of its joining the World Trade Organization in 2001 is to take a look at its banking industry over the past decade.

The amount of annual outward investment abroad has been growing at an average rate of almost 50 percent, since 2003, and reached $68.8 billion worth in 2010, putting China in fifth place globally.

Mainland-based companies had $317.2 billion worth of investments in 178 countries and regions by the end of 2010.