'Some cities have reached a certain level of financial strength and development,' he said. 'Projects that bode well for a city's dealings with foreigners should not be considered image projects.'

However, he said projects should not be commissioned at the expense of the basic living conditions of the masses, said the minister.

To please their party bosses, some local government officials have diverted public money into impressive projects that are of little economic value or social benefit. Public works that ended up being underused are often referred as 'white elephants', or 'image projects'.

Critics accused the Liaoning government of investing too much in building plazas and monuments that beautified Liaoning's capital city, Dalian, but which could have been used to improve the livelihood of grass-roots citizens.

Beijing has been cracking down on unnecessary public projects whose investment would otherwise be used to take care of unemployed state workers and fund other social projects.

Without directly defending himself or the Liaoning government, Mr Bo conceded that Liaoning was not a wealthy province that could afford too many ostentatious public works.

'I have been working for Liaoning province for a long period of time and I understand well that it has many deprived people ... we could only resolve their difficulties with limited resources and should not waste money,' he said.

'Government leaders should not commission image projects according to their liking at the expense of the basic living conditions of the masses,' said Mr Bo.