Watchdog to avoid tainted agencies

The national environmental watchdog has cut links to more than 70 agencies that provide environmental impact assessments, a move to rein in the corrupt trading of power and money.

In February, corruption related to environmental impact assessments was exposed in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the inspection team from the country's top anti-corruption authority said.

For example, some leaders and their relatives traded power for money by helping companies get approval or by opening their own agencies to take advantage of their relationship with the ministry.