The Chinese government will conduct a special audit this year on all water conservancy projects from 2001 to 2003, said Jiao Yong, an official with the Ministry of Water Resources, Wednesday at a national meeting on water conservancy project planning.

The audit would cover the approval of investment projects by the ministry, the management of investment, project bids, and the water conservancy fund raising, as well as regulations and measures, Jiao said.

From 1998 to 2003, the central government invested a total of 214.2 billion yuan (US$25.8 billion) in water conservancy projects, said sources with the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2004)