China's investment in energy with private participation (current US$) was US$36.35 billion in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 2,106% from US$1.65 billion in 2014 (36.26% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | US$36.35 billion | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | US$9.71 million | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | US$1.65 billion | 2014 |
| Highest | US$38.42 billion | 2023 |
| Lowest | US$9.71 million | 2019 |
| Average since 2015 | US$8.62 billion | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | US$62 million |
What the numbers say
In 2024, China's investment in energy with private participation (current US$) fell 5.4% on 2023 (from US$38.42 billion to US$36.35 billion).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +545.1% and a typical year strayed about 1,944.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 8,532.1% in 2020 and the biggest yearly fall was 96.3% in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$3.23 billion a year. A straight line explains 41% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2024, China had the 1st highest value of the 31 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| China | US$36.35 billion | 2024 |
| Upper middle income | US$58.39 billion | 2024 |
Closest to China in the 2024 ranking
- Brazil — 2nd of 31: US$5.75 billion
- Philippines — 3rd of 31: US$4.14 billion
- India — 4th of 31: US$3.42 billion
What this measures
The Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) Database records contractual arrangements for public infrastructure projects in low- and middle-income countries (as classified by the World Bank) that have reached financial closure, in which private parties assume operating risk. Investment in energy projects with private participation refers to commitments to infrastructure projects in energy (electricity and natural gas: generation, transmission and distribution) that have reached financial closure and directly or indirectly serve the public. The types of projects included are management and lease contracts, brownfield projects, greenfield projects (in which a private entity or a public-private joint venture builds and operates a new facility), and divestitures. Investments are classified as one of two types: (1) Investments in physical assets: resources the project company commits to invest in expanding and modernizing facilities and (2) payments to the government: to acquire state-owned enterprises or rights to provide services in a specific area or to use radio spectrum. Data is presented based on investment year. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
Limitations: The data on investment in infrastructure projects with private participation refer to all investment (public and private) in projects in which a private company assumes operating risk during the operating period or development and operating risk during the contract period. Investment refers to commitments not disbursements. Foreign state-owned companies are considered private entities for the purposes of this measure. Investment commitments are the sum of investments in physical assets and payments to the government.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 36 values
| Year | Investment in energy with private participation (current US$) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 36,350,050,000 |
| 2023 | 38,416,240,000 |
| 2022 | 563,400,000 |
| 2021 | 264,410,000 |
| 2020 | 838,180,000 |
| 2019 | 9,710,000 |
| 2018 | 265,510,000 |
| 2017 | 2,950,270,000 |
| 2016 | 3,386,891,000 |
| 2015 | 3,186,650,000 |
Investment in energy with private participation (current US$) in nearby economies
More private sector & trade data for China
- Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 32.59% (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$2.58 trillion (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$3.77 trillion (2025)
- Merchandise imports from economies in the Arab World (% of total merchandise imports) — 8.82% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports) — 68.06% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise imports) — 16.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia & Pacific (% of total merchandise imports) — 15.21% (2023)
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Latin America & the Caribbean (% of total merchandise imports)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is China's investment in energy with private participation (current US$)?
- US$36.35 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1984?
- It is up 58,529% from US$62 million in 1984 (17.27% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$38.42 billion in 2023 and the lowest US$9.71 million in 2019.
- How does China rank?
- 1st highest of 31 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in investment in energy with private participation (current US$) unusual for China?
- In 2024, China's investment in energy with private participation (current US$) fell 5.4% on 2023 (from US$38.42 billion to US$36.35 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +545.1% and a typical year strayed about 1,944.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IE.PPI.ENGY.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Private Participation in Infrastructure Project Database, World Bank (WB), uri: https://ppi.worldbank.org/en/ppidata Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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