Government red tape will face further cuts after the State Council decided to scrap or amend another 186 administrative procedures.

The decision includes the cancellation of 128 and amendment of 58 administrative procedures, according to a circular posted on the website of the State Council Monday.

The 128 procedures earmarked for cancellation focus on a number of areas including enterprise market access, qualifications evaluation and grading, management confines of financial institutions, and approval and quota distribution for imports and exports.

"Though most of the procedures have been established on a legal basis, they are no longer applicable for practical operation," the circular said.

Some of the procedures can be automatically solved through "market forces or industrial self-discipline" and some can be dealt with through quality authentication and supervision, while others overlap several departments.

"Many redundant and excessive procedures have been eliminated," it said, adding the government would deepen the reform, strengthen supervision over administrative and approval rights and build a government ruled by law.

Experts have praised the move.

Mo Yuchuan, a professor of administrative law at Renmin University of China, said: "The elimination and adjustment of the 186 administrative procedures is conducive to smoothing relations between the government and markets, government and enterprises, government and society and government and the public".

Since October 2001, the State Council has pushed for comprehensive reform of administrative procedures for examination and approval, and scrapped 1,806 items subject to examination and approval up until last July.

Ren Jin, a professor with National School of Administration, said that the overuse of administrative powers had resulted in infringements on the rights of individuals and corporations and hampered the country's efforts to build a market economy.

"It has become a key reason for corruption," Ren said.

"The reform will help to build a government ruled by law, with the further implementation of the Law on Administrative Licensing."

The cancellation of redundant procedures will be especially helpful in the fight against commercial bribery, the Beijing News quoted vice-minister of supervision Li Yufu as saying last month, as the majority of the bribery cases involving government officials stemmed from administrative examination and approval power.

Ren called for further reforms with the development of market economy and government function.

"There are still hundreds of other administrative procedures retained as forms of State Council decisions," Ren said.

"They should also be eliminated or adjusted if found to be improper."