Energy-starved China, expecting to spend $27 billion on building its natural gas infrastructure by 2020, has called for foreign investors to give a helping hand, state media said on Friday.
The world's second-largest oil consumer after the United States said it would welcome foreign funds, exploration techniques and management expertise, the People's Daily said.
"The Chinese government encourages foreign investors to join in natural gas exploration, infrastructure, power stations and the construction and management of gas projects," the paper quoted the National Development and Reform Commission as saying.
China would need 220 billion yuan ($26.58 billion) for the construction of natural gas infrastructure up to 2020, mainly for pipeline projects and power stations, the newspaper said.
The mainland is spending billions of dollars on pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals to boost natural gas usage to eight percent of its energy mix by 2020, from less than three percent now.
China's natural gas reserves mainly lie in north-western regions and offshore.