Officials’ office space regulated

Usable office space for ministerial-level officials should cover no more than 54 square meters while the lowest level officials can have an office no bigger than 9 square meters, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced on Thursday.

The NDRC and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Monday issued a circular on the construction standards of government buildings, stipulating that they should not be built as city landmarks and should use simple decoration and be energy efficient.

Size and construction budgets of offices must be strictly subject to the status of the official, read the circular.

It also said that the land for government buildings should not be used for residential or commercial purposes, and should not occupy scenic spots.

Government agencies cannot build gardens or squares with the building, said the circular.

Many supported the new regulation, saying that it could tighten management on land use as some local governments have been notorious for constructing luxurious office buildings and violating land appropriation rules such as occupying arable land. It is also in line with the ongoing anti-graft campaign which encourages officials to abandon luxurious lifestyles.

However, some claimed that the size should still be reduced, and questioned whether the regulation could be implemented effectively.

Compared with the previous standard in 1999, usable office space for officials at several lower levels actually increased from 3 to 12 square meters, The Legal Mirror reported.