Better outlook for infrastructure projects

The decline in China's infrastructure spending is likely to be stemmed next year, with more projects expected to start in the next three to five years and sufficient funding support, according to an official with the nation's top economic regulator involved in the approval of fixed-asset projects.

"Expectations for next year's infrastructure spending are not as pessimistic as some people have predicted, at least the trend is unlikely to be the same compared with this year's," said the official with the fixed-asset department of the National Development and Reform Commission, who declined to be identified due to lack of authority to speak to the media.

That is because projects in the pool remain "abundant", he said, referring to those expected to commence in the next year and in the next three to five years, mainly in the transportation and urban rail sectors.