Reclamation projects to face tough hurdles

China will approve no more land reclamation projects unless they pertain to key national strategies, according to a circular released by the State Council on Wednesday.

The central government said that new marine conversion projects - transforming water areas to land - will be subject to a strict approval process, and local authorities no longer have the power to approve such projects.

Related departments, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission, will complete a survey of such sea conversions by the end of this year, and produce a list of illegal or unfinished projects, the circular said.