China encourages private firms to participate in key supply chain projects

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will speed up the process to allow private firms to access infrastructure of major national scientific research projects and will encourage private businesses to participate in key supply chain projects, a state planner spokesperson said on Friday.

Private fixed-asset investment shrank 0.1% in the first five months of the year, a sharp contrast to the 8.4% growth in investment by state entities, official data showed on Thursday, indicating weak business confidence.

(Reporting by Shuyan Wang, Ellen Zhang and Kevin Yao; Editing by Christopher Cushing)