China's mergers and acquisitions market saw a total of 3,555 deals in 2012, down 23 percent year-on-year, while the disclosed amount of trade value rose 37 percent year-on-year to $307.79 billion, a six year record, CVSource said on Saturday.

CVSource is the online database system of investment consulting firm ChinaVenture.

The manufacturing sector accounted for 18 percent of China's M&A deals in 2012 with 450 transactions, while the energy and minerals sector accounted for 13 percent with 330 deals.

Deals related to energy and minerals, the Internet business, and financing and manufacturing topped the list of financing volume, Fiona Wan, an analyst with CVSource, told China Daily via e-mail.

Cross-border M&A deals reached $36.63 billion in 2012, accounting for 28.75 percent of the disclosed amount of M&A transactions.