BEIJING - Chinese authorities will focus on environmental protection, sci-tech innovation and improvement of people's livelihood when evaluating the performance of officials in fulfilling their economic responsibilities, a circular published on Sunday said.

According to the document jointly issued by the country's audit, State-owned asset, and human resources and social security authorities and the Communist Party of China's disciplinary inspection and organization departments, the economic responsibility audit of Chinese officials would give spotlight to the quality and sustainability of economic and social development.

It will also focus on the social, economic and environmental benefits of officials' decision-making and administrative activities, it said.

The audit, first launched in 1999 in China to evaluate the performance of officials in fulfilling their economic responsibilities, covers government and Party officials and legal representatives of State-owned enterprises.

The results of the auditing will be used as references in performance evaluation, promotion, rewarding and punishment of officials.

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