Public-private partnerships encouraged

Mechanism could help relieve governments' financial burdens

China has issued a guideline that includes a raft of policies that would make it easier for public and private sector entities to form partnerships as part of the country's efforts to fine-tune the cooperation mechanism between government funding and social capital, as well as deepen private sector involvement in infrastructure investments, according to analysts.

The new policies will further enhance the construction and operation of infrastructure projects and improve public services, while helping stem additional debts assumed by local governments, which is of great significance in efforts to promote the country's sustainable, high-quality socioeconomic development, they added.

The guideline, which was jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic regulator, and the Ministry of Finance, has placed greater emphasis on user-pays projects, with a preference for private enterprise participation and the adoption of franchise models.