China will conduct a thorough assessment of 31 provincial regions by the end of next year to ensure the new "river chief" system is on schedule, the water resources authority said on Tuesday.

The central government introduced a system in December to appoint Party or government heads as river chiefs to clean up and protect water resources, with the system expected to cover the country by the end of next year.

"The development of the river chief system has gone smoothly and it may be implemented ahead of schedule," said Li Ying, head of the policy department at the Ministry of Water Resources.