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Beijing, March 28 (Reporter Wang Enbo) Infrastructure is an important support for economic and social development. Accelerating the development of new infrastructure is an important measure to boost current economic growth and lay a solid foundation for long-term development. “During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, how should China, known as the \"infrastructure enthusiast,\" focus its efforts on infrastructure investment? File photo: Workers at the construction site of Shenzhen Airport’s Satellite Hall are making every effort to accelerate the progress of interior finishing and other construction tasks. Photo by Chen Wen, reporter from China News Service. “A modern infrastructure system is an important component of a modern economic system.” To build a modern economic system, it is essential to develop a modern infrastructure framework. ”**Wu Yaping, a researcher at the Investment Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at the \"Government-Private Sector Industry Summit 2021 Beijing Cooperation Forum\" held on the 27th that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the key focus for building a modern infrastructure system lies in coordinating the utilization of existing infrastructure with new construction, as well as balancing the development of traditional and new types of infrastructure. Speaking about the overall approach to infrastructure investment over the next five years, he believes that in terms of investment directions and key areas, the focus will be on the \"two new and one heavy\" initiatives, namely new types of infrastructure, new forms of urbanization, as well as major projects in transportation, electricity, and water management. In terms of key regions, these mainly include the central region, which features rapid economic growth, a large population, and stable demand; the Chengdu-Chongqing and Guanzhong areas, which serve as hubs that influence the southwest and northwest regions respectively; and the urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas in the eastern region, characterized by an influx of population, high demand, and high prices. Infrastructure construction, especially new infrastructure, requires substantial funding; therefore, how to improve the relevant financial mechanisms and innovate financing models are issues that need to be considered. Lin Hai, vice president of the Tianjin Financial Assets Exchange, said that in the future, financial services for infrastructure development will place greater emphasis on optimizing the investment structure, as well as on addressing the shortcomings in areas such as infrastructure, municipal projects, agriculture and rural areas, and social welfare. The core sectors of infrastructure include public facilities management, road transportation, the production and supply of electricity and heat, water resources management, and railway transportation. Meanwhile, new infrastructure will focus on three areas: information infrastructure, integrated infrastructure, and innovation infrastructure. As new battlefields and areas of opportunity, Lin Hai pointed out that the fields where opportunities and financing needs may arise in the context of new infrastructure include the following seven areas: 5G base station construction, ultra-high voltage systems, intercity high-speed railways and intercity rail transit, charging stations for new energy vehicles, data centers, artificial intelligence, and the industrial internet. He believes that REITs, PPP secondary market transactions, and digital-based PPP secondary market transactions will be innovative financing models for infrastructure. This year’s **work report calls for an increase in effective investment, emphasizing the need to \"improve policies to support the participation of private capital, further remove various barriers to private investment, and enable private capital to enter, develop, and make contributions in more areas.\" What are the benefits of private investment in areas such as infrastructure and public utilities? Geng Yuyin, president of the Henan Investment and Financing Association, said that private investment is an indispensable part of the financial system, playing a crucial role in serving the real economy. On the one hand, it can fully play its role in market allocation by attracting financial resources; projects such as those under the \"two new and one heavy\" initiative, as well as major infrastructure projects in areas like transportation, energy, and water management, all require substantial funding. Therefore, it is essential to expand financing channels ； On the other hand, it provides a wider range of investment opportunities for investors, and the profits generated from participating in such construction efforts also help to increase people’s property-based income indirectly. Qiu Ying, executive vice president of Zhengxin Investment Group, said that infrastructure construction has led to an increase in investment demands. Taking advantage of the central government’s efforts to accelerate reforms in the investment and financing system, actively engaging private capital in infrastructure development and sharing the benefits of the new era with investors will be an important way to create a new middle class, enabling governments, enterprises, and investors to achieve mutual success. (End) Source: China News Network; Content source: China News Network