The　countries　along　the　Belt　and　Road　(B&R)　are　important　destinations　of　China＇s　outward　foreign　direct　investment　(OFDI).　Based　on　the　panel　data　(2003-2017)　on　China＇s　OFDI　in　65　B&R　countries,　this　paper　sets　up　a　Heckman　two-stage　model,　and　then　empirically　analyzes　how　China＇s　OFDI　is　affected　by　the　difference　between　China　and　the　host　country　in　economic　institution.　In　addition,　the　authors　explored　whether　China　has　institutional　preference　in　the　OFDI　with　different　investment　motives.　The　empirical　test　shows　that:　investment　selection　and　investment　scale　of　China＇s　OFDI　are　promoted　to　different　degrees　by　the　economic　institution　of　the　host　country,　and　the　absolute　distance　between　China　and　the　host　country　in　economic　institution;　China　has　different　institutional　preferences　in　market-seeking　OFDI　between　the　selection　stage　and　the　investment　stage;　In　terms　of　technology-seeking　OFDI,　host　countries　with　short　economic　institutional　distance　are　preferred　in　the　selection　stage,　and　host　countries　with　good　economic　institution　and　long　economic　institutional　distance　are　preferred　in　the　investment　stage.　The　research　results　provide　empirical　evidence　for　China　to　continuously　implement　OFDI　in　B&R　countries　and　create　a　green　investment　environment.　©　2020　WITPress.　All　rights　reserved.