Firms urged to sign up to Initiative

The Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday that China's investment in countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative would pay off from a long-term perspective, and called on companies to jump on the bandwagon.

The ministry predicted that the value of outbound direct investment this year would remain stable. The comments came after foreign media reported that some projects under construction along the trade routes might fail to be profitable.

"In the long run, investment and projects in the countries and regions along the Belt and Road trading routes have a great significance in enhancing infrastructure interconnection, which will benefit local people," ministry spokesman Sun Jiwen said at a news conference on Thursday.