The city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province has announced that it will be promoting the public-private partnership (PPP) model in some of its projects in future, including transportation, energy conservation and civic facilities.

The news came at a forum on projects using PPP - which generally means private companies working with government on public facilities, with the private investor operating the project and government supervising it - in Harbin, on Aug 19. The projects introduced at the meeting are in five categories: urban roads and bridges, underground passages and corridors, energy-saving road-lamp improvements, upgrading of the energy-saving facilities in existing buildings, and public underground parking lots.

Participants offered a number of proposals and suggestions for improving infrastructure and government services with the help of outside investment and commented on their understanding of the PPP method and its possible application in Chinese and foreign projects.

It is not the first time for the city to get involved with PPP in infrastructure construction, since it already proposed its use for infrastructure projects this past May, including an expressway that connects Harbin with outlying towns, a highway running to Zhaoyuan county, a water pumping station in the city’s airport economic zone, a hydro-project in nearby Yilan county, and a vocational education park.