China has set up two advisory committees to assist the central government in creating effective policies on environmental protection issues.

Eighty-six environmental protection experts were selected as members of the think tank named the State Environment Counsel Committee and the Science and Technology Committee for the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), said Zhou Shengxian, head of the SEPA, in an interview with Xinhua.

"China is facing a great deal of environment challenges and this is a time when democracy in policy making is vital," said Zhou. "And the era of SEPA monopolizing the decision making process is set to end."

Among the advisors are 30 academicians with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and some retired SEPA officials.

"In the past, our grave mistake was that we made environmental protection decisions without using scientific and democratic means," said Qu Geping, a committee member and former SEPA chief.

"The setting up of this think tank is an unprecedented and important move," Qu said.

Ma Zhong, another committee member and professor of the People's University in Beijing, said people from outside the SEPA can provide more objective opinions and prevent bureaucracy in decision making.

"SEPA will listen to the committees for all major decisions in the future," said Zhou. "No policies should be made without research, expert assessment and debates."

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2006)