China announced 80 major public infrastructure projects on April 24, experimenting with wider access for private and overseas investors.

The decision was made at a State Council executive meeting, the second meeting in a month to focus on infrastructure investment.

The projects will cover railway and harbor construction, new infrastructure needed by the area of information technology, major clean energy projects such as hydropower, wind power and photovoltaic power, as well as modernization projects in oil and gas and chemical industries.

It has been expected that overseas investors are likely to benefit from the new infrastructure investment program along with domestic private-sector investors.

The State Council said private investment will be encouraged to enter fields that are "monopolistic in nature" or those that "used to be dominated by government investment and State-owned enterprises."

The State Council also decided that oil and gas exploration, public utilities, water resources projects and airport construction will be the next to open to private-sector investment.