IANS | 11 Feb, 2012
China will expand its government procurement program this year to boost economic reforms, the finance ministry said Friday.

China will negotiate for entry to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) under the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ministry said in a report.

The GPA is a voluntary pact within the WTO that allows member countries to bid for public contracts in each other's markets.

China made its first offer to join the pact in 2007, but it was turned down as the proposal did not include local governments' spending, Xinhua reported.

The document said this year's key procurement projects will include nutrition improvement in rural areas and purchase of school buses. It also vowed to cut emissions and beef up environmental protection.