The Beijing municipal government will seek investors for several massive projects at the sixth session of the China Beijing International High-Tech Expo from September 12 to 19.

"It is the first time the capital city has put forward so many huge projects involving such huge investments all at once," said Yan Xiaoyan, general economist of the Beijing Development Planning Committee.

The government will present at the expo 325 projects worth a total of US$16 billion.

"We have 25 infrastructure projects needing funds totalling US$4.866 billion that should be most attractive to investors," said Yan.

Those projects include Beijing's No 4 subway line, the second phase of its expressway to Chengde, the Beiyuan sewage treatment plant, and energy and water supply centres for the Tongzhou Industrial Development Zone.

"Both domestic and foreign investors are welcome, and they can be flexible in how they introduce capital," Yan indicated.

Yan also said: "Apart from direct investment, the projects can raise funds by making use of land-use rights, intellectual property rights or technology transfer or build-operate-transfer management models. Meanwhile, other projects on show during the high-tech exposition will be drawn from the manufacturing, high-tech agriculture, real estate, and tourism sectors.''

A website - http://www.bjinvest.gov.cn - has been launched to provide detailed and up-to-date information about the projects.

An official from Shunyi District said Shunyi's light rail project - a 1.4-billion yuan (US$168 million) infrastructure project - will be promoted at the exposition.

"The event offers us a platform to contact domestic and foreign investors and experts, which can help us get capital and technological support," said the official.

(China Daily August 18, 2003)