China to get tougher on eco-unfriendly officials
State Council says economic growth no longer the only focus of cadres, who will be held 'responsible' for consumption of natural resources and environmental harm
China has vowed to impose tougher punishments on officials whose decisions are found to have caused ecological damage.
The State Council, the mainland’s chief administrative authority, said the officials would be held responsible for their “lifetime”.
A document released by the cabinet on Tuesday said the consumption of resources, environmental damage and ecological competitiveness would all be carefully assessed by officials and their weight would be “significantly increased” so that the pursuit of economic growth would no longer be the only target of cadres.
Local governments at all levels now faced a “red line”, the document said, which meant they would need to ensure that there was no further deterioration in the quality of air, water and soil in their respective regions.
Any official that was found to have caused severe damage to the environment and natural resources would be held accountable – even after they had left the posts – and would no longer gain promotion.
Xu Shaoshi , director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said resources and the environment had become one of the biggest obstacles holding back China’s efforts to become a “moderately prosperous society” – one of President Xi Jinping’s four political visions.
