China approved a series of plans to establish a more strict supervision system for environmental protection on Wednesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the 14th meeting of the Leading Group for Overall Reform on Wednesday afternoon, which he also heads. Several topics were discussed at the meeting, including an environmental protection supervision plan for a better monitoring network, a plan for independent auditing of officials and a plan to hold officials responsible for damage their decisions cause to the environment.

Xi urged officials to implement the "three stricts and three honests", a series of requirements for officials to improve their life and work raised by President in March last year. The slogan refers to: "be strict in morals, power and disciplining oneself; be honest in decisions, business and behavior."

A statement issued after the meeting said China is in need of a conservation culture, a requirement for accelerated transformation of economic development pattern.

Environmental protection supervision is important and should focus on pollution of air, water and soil, supervising the implementation of the central authority's policies on those issues.

The key to improved ecological monitoring lies not only with the government but also with society. The differing responsibilities of the government, enterprises and society should be clarified.

The statement said auditing of officials would ensure they utilized natural resources appropriately and protected environment.

The statement said the key to environment protection lies with cadres and holding them accountable for environmental damage even if they have transferred, been promoted or retired. Party committees and governments at all levels, anti-graft bodies, organization departments and other related bodies should coordinate on this issue.

Also at the meeting, it was decided that state cultural enterprises put social interests before economic and take the lead in uniting social and economic interests.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2015)