Over 60 percent of new land acquisitions for construction projects in Chinese cities since last September were illegal, the Ministry of Land and Resources said on Tuesday.?

The figure goes as high as 90 percent in some cities, said the ministry, quoting data accumulated from its latest check of land use.

A survey conducted by the ministry in 15 cities last year from October 2003 to September 2005 shows that 52.8 percent of land acquisitions for construction projects were illegal.

The ministry has demanded its provincial counterparts expose at least three illegal cases in June and more than eight by the end of the year.

If they don't investigate the illegal cases local land and resources departments should be deprived of their power to approve new projects, said the ministry.

Surging demand for land has led to soaring investment and fast growth in fixed asset investment. Government statistics show that China's investment in this particular area rose 29.6 percent to 1.8 trillion yuan (US$224.7 billion) in the first four months of this year.

The central government has adopted administrative and financial measures to cap the overheated real estate market. However, local governments are not enforcing the regulations strictly due to various considerations concerning local interests.

(Xinhua News Agency June 7, 2006)