Beijing to cut pollutants discharge by a third during APEC

Vehicles drive on Beijing's Fourth Ring Road amid heavy smog, Oct 24, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

The pollutants discharge in Beijing and neighboring regions of Tianjin and Hebei is expected to be cut by a third during next month's APEC meeting, thanks to a series of air pollution control measures.

"China will take the highest-level measures to guarantee the air quality during the APEC meeting," said Chai Fahe, vice president of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, on Saturday.

"It is expected that the pollutants discharge in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions will be reduced by 30-40 percent, and the air quality will hopefully be further improved," he said.

Chai said that Beijing has since June shut down part of its power plants, eliminated old vehicles and boilers, used clean energy, closed more than 300 polluting factories, and upgraded technologies to cut emissions.

The capital will also restrict cars based on an odd-and-even-number rule, almost halving the number of cars during the meeting.

In addition, major polluting businesses will be ordered to cut production and work on some construction sites will be suspended during the period.

According to a forecast of the China National Environmental Monitoring Center, most parts of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions will enjoy favorable conditions for air pollutants to drift away from Nov. 1 to 3.

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Friday said that ensuring air quality for the APEC meeting is the "priority of priorities" for the current air pollution control work.