Environmental protection will soon become a key factor in the rating of local officials' political performance, as part of the implementation of China's new sustainable development strategy.

According to the State Environmental Protection Administration, officials who simply stress economic growth but turn a blind eye to environmental protection will suffer reduced promotion chances.

Vice-director Pan Yue said the practice is aimed at changing the decades-old rating method, which stresses economic growth but ignores "environmental profits".

"One of our urgent tasks now is to carry out research work on new measuring methods for environmental pollution, ecological loss and environmental protection benefits," said Pan.

The administration is also expected to put forward preferential tax and investment policies for waste recycling and rules on waste recycling to be observed by different trades.

The administration also said it will continue to close wasteful and high-pollution enterprises and encourage governments at all levels to recycle.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2004)