Chinese overseas contractors were actively seeking new customers in less-touched markets, especially in Europe and Latin America, as total revenues surged by 17.6 percent in 2013 compared with a year ago, a national trade organization said on Thursday.

The China International Contractors Association said that Chinese contractors generated more than $137 billion in revenue last year.

Although the major customers are found in Asian and African markets, demand from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil and Mexico have rapidly jumped.

Chinese companies signed $11.4 billion in contracts in Europe, logging an increase of about 32 percent year-on-year, according to Zhang Xiang, the association's spokeswoman.

In Latin American markets, construction deals in infrastructure, harbor and oil refinery sectors were playing a leading role.

The value of contracts increased by 25 percent year-on-year to more than $18 billion, according to CHINCA.

"Telecommunications projects were predominately the biggest deals in Europe in the past, but we noticed road projects in Serbia and Belarus as well as labor demands in Germany have surged dramatically," Zhang said.

More companies are eyeing mid- and high-end projects in 2013, she added, saying China's technology edge in electronics and hydropower industries gave contractors the upper hand in attracting new orders.

More than a third of the bids last year targeted such projects.

In October, Beijing Construction Engineering Group, partnered with Manchester Airports Group to build an "airport city" in the northern British metropolis.

The group "was very active in that country and had a good reputation from past projects", Zhang said. "The local government literally dragged the Chinese company into the deal."

China is likely to receive more orders from high speed railway projects this year, Zhang said, adding that Thailand, Hungary, Serbia and Russia are already in talks with China regarding the introduction of high-speed railways.

gaoyuan@chinadaily.com.cn