Review agencies face tighter controls

The national environmental watchdog will tighten the reins on assessment agencies having close relationships with officials of the ministry, a move to fight corruption, the new minister of environmental protection said.

"We will never allow these agencies to make illegal money during the environmental assessment process by taking advantage of their close relationship with the officials and the ministry," Chen Jining said in a news release on Saturday.

The eight environmental assessment agencies affiliated with the ministry will transfer their work to commercial companies this year, Chen said, adding that the ministry will promote these reforms gradually, cutting the relation between the local branches and environmental authorities.