China beefs up crackdown on environment-related crimes

BEIJING - China's ministries of public security and environmental protection have vowed closer cooperation in dealing with environment-related crimes and punishing wrongdoers.

"The two ministries will strengthen cooperation in law enforcement and carry out comprehensive supervision and coordinated actions, striving to solve the severe environmental pollution issues that have been inducing strong public reactions," according to a document on coordinating environmental protection and law enforcement efforts.

The document was jointly drafted by the two ministries and made public on Tuesday.

The two ministries will cooperate to jointly research and investigate major and complicated cases that have huge social influence.

According to the document, environmental protection departments should make greater efforts in uncovering environmental violations, strengthen monitoring of waste-producing companies and impose administrative punishments on violators.

Meanwhile, police departments were urged to investigate environmental pollution cases that are severe enough to be considered crimes.

The document called for regular meetings for departments in the two fields to share information and brief each other on their progress, urging the two sides to follow a clear division of work in the management of cases.

"Those deserving criminal punishment should not get away with a fine," said the document.