BEIJING, April 24 (Reuters) - China on Tuesday unveiled rules promising to expose its secretive government to greater transparency and give citizens more say in policy -- within strict limits.

The transparency regulations, signed by Premier Wen Jiabao, will empower citizens to demand information about government finances and economic plans, statistics, land development, environmental regulations and many other policies, the official Xinhua news agency announced.

The rules will ensure that "citizens, corporations and other organisations can obtain government information according to the law, improving the transparency of government work and encouraging administration according to the law," stated the rules issued on the government Web site (www.gov.cn).

But in a sign that the ruling Communist Party does not want a free-for-all, the rules offer a broad opt-out for officials, saying that information released "should not harm state security, economic security or social stability".

With the market economy growing rapidly and bursting through state constraints, the Communist Party faces citizens and investors increasingly eager to escape and sometimes directly challenge deeply entrenched top-down political controls. Premier Wen and other leaders have promised incremental political reforms to meet those rising demands.

The rules take effect from May next year, and administrators have been ordered to prepare for information requests.

"Administrative organs should swiftly and accurately release government information," the rules urge.

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