BIGGER SAY IN DECISION MAKING

The State Environmental Protection Administration will be elevated to a full-fledged ministry after economic miracle has brought in its wake severe challenges to the environment.

"This elevation shows the government has become more concerned with environmental protection," said Wei Fusheng, academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The full membership in the State Council means a bigger say in the government policy-making, he said.

"China will face the severe challenge of environmental protection for a long time to come, with the arduous task of reducing pollutants," said State Councilor Hua Jianmin, also secretary general of the Cabinet, while making explanations of the government reshuffle plan to the NPC.

COST OF LOGISTICS TO DECREASE

China also plans to organize a new transport ministry that is big enough to cover road, water and air transit, but short of incorporating railways.

The Ministry of Railways, which manages more than 77,000 km of railroads, will be kept because of "the special needs in building and managing railways," said Hua without elaboration.

The annual logistic cost totals about 4.8 trillion yuan (671 billion U.S. dollars) in China, equal to 20 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and twice of that in developed countries, industry insiders said. They blamed the transport system administered by different authorities as the key reason, and the new ministry is expected to further promote the country's fledgling logistics industry.