BEIJING - China's top economic planner approved 15 fixed-asset investment projects with total investment reaching 218.8 billion yuan ($32.2 billion) in October, official data showed Friday.

The projects covered transportation, high tech and energy, said Li Pumin, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), during a press conference.

The projects will help regional economic growth, upgrade industrial structure and ensure energy security, said Li.

China's fixed-asset investment in the first nine months grew 8.2 percent year on year, slightly up from the 8.1 percent registered during the January-August period, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The investment structure was improved with more money spent on high-tech and service sectors, while less money went into industries with high energy consumption or excessive capacity, according to the NBS.