(Yicai Global) Nov. 2 -- Investments in China's public-private partnerships (PPPs) totaled over CNY10.1 trillion (USD1.53 trillion) as of the end of September, making the country the world's largest market for such partnerships.

By the end of September, more than 6,700 such projects were under discussion in China, Shi Yaobin, deputy finance minister, said yesterday at the third PPP Financing Forum. Of them, some 2,400 worth CNY4.1 trillion had been signed off on. Going forward, the government will look to maintain order in public-private partnerships and ratchet up project management and risk control, domestic media outlets reported.

China uses PPPs to encourage public infrastructure construction, incentivizing private firms and investors to take part in projects in collaboration with the government and allowing state-owned enterprises to minimize fiscal expenditure while private companies can reduce their investment risks.

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the PPP Center under China's Ministry of Finance signed a memorandum of understanding on such partnerships before the forum's opening ceremony, pledging to work together to bring in regulations and promote institutional capacity creation and market development.

The center also signed an agreement on a PPP project certificate with the World Bank, which will team up with five other international development banks to offer a joint qualification in public-private partnerships to improve certification among Chinese professionals.