The　existing　studies　on　environmental　efficiency　evaluation　generally　have　the　problem　of　efficiency　overestimation.　To　solve　this　problem,　a　new　data　envelopment　analysis　(DEA)　cross-efficiency　approach　with　undesirable　outputs　is　developed　to　evaluate　environmental　efficiency　from　the　perspectives　of　both　self-evaluation　and　peer　evaluation.　Then,　three　new　evaluation　strategies,　namely,　economic　development　strategy,　environmental　protection　strategy,　and　win–win　strategy,　are　proposed　to　reflect　the　needs　of　decision　makers　under　different　policy　objectives.　The　proposed　cross-efficiency　approach　with　different　evaluation　strategies　not　only　realizes　the　cross　evaluation　of　environmental　efficiency,　but　also　guarantees　the　relative　uniqueness　of　the　optimal　solution　on　the　basis　of　the　preferences　of　decision　makers.　Combining　the　metafrontier　DEA　approach　and　DEA　window　analysis,　a　new　cross-efficiency　analytical　framework　is　constructed　to　gradually　analyse　the　influences　of　policy　objectives,　technology　heterogeneity,　and　dynamic　correlation　on　the　environmental　efficiency.　Subsequently,　the　environmental　efficiency　of　China＇s　economic　development　during　2006–2015　is　in-depth　analysed　on　the　basis　of　the　proposed　analytical　framework,　and　some　interesting　conclusions,　and　some　useful　suggestions　are　obtained.　©　2019　John　Wiley　&　Sons,　Ltd