Pingding county in Yangquan city in China's North Shanxi province has been attracting investment by using online promotional methods during the current period of novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and control, according to local officials. 

They said that in order to attract investment during the outbreak, the county has been improving preliminary work before formally signing off on project agreements. 

The county has planned and packaged local key and special industries so that investors can quickly understand the needs of Pingding's industries and be aware of all that is required to invest or start a business there. 

Meanwhile, the county has surveyed and reviewed projects that are likely to be settle there this year. 

For projects that spark the interest of investors, the county has sent an electronic edition of support policies and basic information about them. For projects that need to be further negotiated, it has communicated with directors of companies through social networking platform WeChat and on telephone. 

Projects with great development potential and good socioeconomic benefits have been identified and promoted online. These include 20 key investment promotion projects, involving new materials, trade, logistics and the cultural tourism sectors worth totaling 23 billion yuan ($3.32 billion). 

Due to those efforts, the county has so far signed contracts with six companies by using WeChat, the telephone and emails, with the projects' investment totaling 1.3 billion yuan.

The projects, with a total investment of 1.3 billion yuan, involve the construction of an intangible cultural heritage-themed town and the development of the southern part of Pingding county.