China kills polluting projects worth $19.5bn

China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection stepped up enforcement against industrial polluters last year, vetoing as many as 32 projects with a total investment of US$19.5 billion, Reuters reported, citing a statement on Tuesday by vice-environment minister Zhai Qing. Beijing is under intense pressure to clean up China’s heavily polluted environment, but officials have acknowledged that the ministry’s punitive powers are limited. Fines are far lower than the cost of compliance and many big companies are willing to pay up and continue breaking the law.