China has opened the door a bit wider to private investors, allowing them to take stakes in two big projects in the state-dominated rail and energy sectors, as part of efforts to deliver on promises to find fresh sources of capital and boost the economy.

Work has begun on a coal rail line and a natural gas pipeline, costing a combined 295 billion yuan ($46.8 billion), with private investors taking a minority stake, the state-run Economic Information Daily reported Wednesday.

Private capital accounts for 15.7% of the estimated total investment of CNY170 billion for the rail line, which links the Inner Mongolian region and Jiangxi Province , the report said.

Construction has also begun on the nation's third natural gas transmission pipeline project, which will bring gas from western regions to eastern industrial areas, and private funds account for 16% of the estimated total CNY125 billion investment, the paper said.

As it struggles to boost sluggish economic growth, China has vowed to let private investors play a more substantial role in sectors of the economy that had long been the preserve of the state.

It is hoping that some of this capital will help speed up economic growth, which slowed to 7.6% on-year in the second quarter, its worst showing in over three years.

The debt-ridden Ministry of Railway, which has a huge appetite for funds and has been one of the least open segments of the economy, has said it will look to tap private capital.

State Councilor Ma Kai told a forum Tuesday that reforms in financing for rail construction were urgently needed and there was a need to tap different sources of funds, according to the report.

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