Cabinet regulates govt construction projects

The State Council, the Chinese Cabinet, issued a regulation on construction projects by government agencies and public organizations on Friday.

The decree, signed by Premier Li Keqiang, will take effect on Dec 1.

The regulation, approved at an executive meeting of the Cabinet on Aug 18, has 31 articles across six chapters, mainly concerning project approvals, construction capital, supervision and checks, and legal responsibilities. It not only covers new constructions, but also expansions of existing buildings, reconstructions, and building purchases.

The buildings include training centers or facilities that provide accommodation, offices, meeting rooms or areas for catering.

Government agencies and public organizations should deliver proposals, research reports and preCultural designs for approval, and follow the principles of simplicity, practicality, safety and energy saving before starting construction, according to the regulation.

It states that any office project deemed unnecessary, has an unqualified capital source or has substandard construction content or scale should not be approved.

Changchun, the capital of Jilin province, has been listed as a National Famous Historical and City, according to a circular released on Thursday by the State Council.

The city is best known for its historical relics, unique urban landscape, and industrial heritage.

The local authorities are required to protect the city, such as by making a protection plan, marking historical and cultural areas and streets, improving the urban environment, and renovating historical buildings.

The circular added that authorities should block any construction project that is incompatible with the local environment and landscape.

The guideline aims to build a national system that covers key areas and standardizes local and corporate standards by 2020.

The Ministry of Agriculture and five other ministry-level authorities have issued a guideline on developing agricultural industry consortia. The document stressed the need for a mechanism to coordinate and guide businesses to form consortia, as well as for interest-sharing mechanisms to develop consortia and bring benefits to both consortia and farmers.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has issued a guideline on boosting the environmental equipment manufacturing industry. The document has five directions for development, including strengthening research and innovation, and going beyond industrial differences.

The guideline sets a goal to establiminary lish an innovation-driven system for the industry and achieve breakthroughs in key fields by 2020. The value of the industry should reach 1 trillion yuan ($150 billion) by that time, it stated.