The State Council on Wednesday decided to scrap 128 administrative procedures for examination and approval and amend 58 in order to cut government red tape.

The decision was made during an executive meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.

"The elimination and adjustment of the 186 administrative procedures is conducive to smoothing relations between the government and markets, government and enterprises, government and society and government and the public," said a circular from the State Council.

Since October 2001, the State Council has pushed a comprehensive reform of administrative procedures for examination and approval, and scrapped 1,806 items subject to examination and approval, said the circular.

The circular gave no details of the procedures that had been amended or scrapped.

The reform had laid a solid foundation for the government that could more effectively administer public services and social order, it said.

"Many redundant and excessive procedures have been eliminated," it said, adding the government should deepen the reform, strengthen supervision over administrative and approval rights and build a government ruled by law.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2007)