The State Council released a plan on May 26 to clean up and regulate administrative items for investment project approvals.

The plan was formulated to promote simplifying and integrating procedures for investment projects, and is crucial for administrative streamlining, cutting down on institutional costs, and inspiring investment.

The plan entails 65 items concerning investment projects that need government approval.

Among them, 34 items were kept, including approvals for construction land (containing temporary ground) layout, land expropriation, environmental-impact assessment for non-major projects, and the review comments on energy conservation.

Two items were changed to inter-departmental consultations, including consultations on requirements for national defense and the protection of military installations.

Five regarding security are compulsory, including pre-assessment of occupational hazards and the safety of facilities, assessment of geological hazards and seismic safety, and the demonstration on climatic feasibility.

Twenty-four items were consolidated into eight, according to the circular.

Items that need approvals by local government at the same level should be submitted to the government affairs hall or online platform.

The plan urged taking into consideration local realities, optimizing procedures and improving efficiency.