China Development Bank, one of the country's policy banks, issued 126.2 billion yuan (about $18.69 billion) of loans to support environmental protection and pollution treatment in the first half of 2022.

Of the total, 37 billion yuan of loans were used to finance sewage and garbage treatment in county-level regions.

So far, the bank has extended 100.3 billion yuan of loans to support the building of garbage and sewage treatment facilities in over 200 counties.

The bank said it will step up financial support to promote low-carbon development and contribute to the building of a beautiful China.