The meeting decided to lower the initial capital for projects related to the construction of ports, inland navigation and airports from 30 percent to 25 percent.

For projects related to the construction of railways, highways and urban subways it will be lowered from 25 percent to 20 percent, and for those related to corn deep-processing projects it will be lowered from 30 percent to 20 percent.

The initial capital for projects considered significant by the central government, in addition to that for the construction of urban underground pipelines, sewage networks and parking projects, will be open to more flexible terms, the meeting decided.

However, projects related to steel, cement, aluminum, charcoal and other industries where there is overcapacity will still have to comply with the requirement of 30 percent to 40 percent as the government strives to restructure the economy.

The growth in fixed-asset investment slowed to a decade low of 11.2 percent year-on-year in July. Infrastructure investment grew by just 19 percent year-on-year in the first half, compared with 23 percent in the same period last year.

The pro-growth policies announced on Sept 1 were rolled out as China's factory activity continued to lose steam in August, signaling prolonged downward pressure on the economy.

China's official manufacturing purchasing managers index stood at 49.7 last month, down from 50 for July, according to the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. It is the lowest since August 2012.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

zhaoyinan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/05/2015 page19)