BEIJING, Aug. 2 -- A total of 9,036 public-private partnership (PPP) projects had been registered by the end of June, official data showed.

These projects had a combined investment of 13.6 trillion yuan (about 1.97 trillion U.S. dollars), according to the China Public Private Partnerships Center under the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Of all the projects, 5,811 entered the implementation stage, with a combined investment of 8.8 trillion yuan.

Construction has started on 3,446 projects, with a total investment of 5.1 trillion yuan.

PPPs are a collaborative investment model between government and private companies.

Chinese authorities have explored funding infrastructure and public works through the PPP model since late 2013, reducing local government debt and opening new opportunities for private capital.