The Ministry of Environmental Protection has signed a cooperation agreement with the government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to accelerate the construction of the Ningxia Inland Opening-up Pilot Economic Zone on December 20.

According to the agreement, the ministry will issue preferential policies and offer financial and technical support on environmental impact assessment, major pollutants emission reduction, rural environmental protection, pollution prevention in key sectors, ecological construction, scientific and technological innovation and capacity building to inject vigor into the construction of an Inland Opening-up Pilot Economic Zone.

Zhou Shengxian, minister of Environmental Protection, Zhang Yi, secretary of CPC Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee and Wang Zhengwei, chairman of People's Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region attended the signing ceremony.