Limiting mall investment

The Ministry of Land and Resources will join efforts to halt over-development of shopping malls in response to local governments ignoring development restrictions. In February, Premier Wen Jiabao ordered the National Reform and Development Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Construction, and the China Banking Regulatory Commission to investigate over-investment in shopping mall construction projects. The investigation showed a total of 400 malls recently completed or under construction, an increase of 25% over 2003. The ministries will launch a second, more in-depth investigation to determine which shopping mall projects will be halted.