Hebei province is working on a joint traffic control plan with Beijing to fight air pollution, an environmental protection official said.

To alleviate traffic jams, Beijing has banned 20 percent of cars driving inside the Fifth Ring Road based on a license plate number system since 2008.

Hebei is researching adopting the same measure in line with Beijing, said Chen Guoying, director of the environmental protection department of Hebei, cited by Xinhua News Agency.

"If the car restriction in Hebei is not coordinated with Beijing's, it will cause inconvenience to Beijing cars that enter Hebei, and Hebei cars that go to Beijing. So, we are searching for a solution," Chen said.

Chen also said the provincial government will cut steel production in the province by 60 million metric tons by the year 2017, update steel plants' equipment and improve the quality of the coal used throughout the province.