The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, should conduct a reform of its functions, a professor of economics said at the China Development Forum held in Beijing Sunday, noting that many of the commission's industry policies in the past have not been successful.

"The government's supporting policies have been a major reason behind some industries' severe overcapacity at present," said Zhang Weiying, a professor at Peking University, adding that China's solar industry is one example of this.