Government procurement expanded 10-fold

China's government procurement market is 10 times larger than it was a decade ago, according to Deputy Financial Minister Wang Baoan.

Overall government procurement - purchases by governments made with public funds - was 1.13 trillion yuan ($178 billion) in 2011, compared with 100 billion yuan in 2002.

The central and local governments can only procure goods or services listed in the Central Procurement Catalogue, which is periodically updated by the State Council and provincial government.

Projects of public interest, such as the Bird's Nest stadium and high-speed rail network, were not included in the government procurement.