In Henan, no cleanup means no promotion

Performance in dealing with environmental issues has become the major criteria for the selection and appointment of officials in Henan province, according to the provincial government.

Under a policy released by the government on Monday, local officials seeking promotion will be rejected if their cities or counties are ranked in the bottom 10 five consecutive times in monthly air quality assessments, or if they were responsible for damaging environmental resources.

Xie Fuzhan, top official of Henan, said air pollution has become a major bottleneck that hinders the province's economic and social development.