Beijing continues to splash billions to fight air pollution

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Beijing plans to spend more than 18.22 billion yuan (2.6 billion US dollars) to fight air pollution in 2017. The aim is to control the annual average density of PM2.5 to around 60 micrograms this year, said Lu Yan, head of the Beijing Municipal Reform and Development Commission, on Saturday‍.

PM2.5 are fine particles measuring no more than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Average density of PM2.5 in the Chinese capital was 73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016, down 9.9 percent from the previous year, Lu said. Beijing reduced coal use by two million tonnes last year, he added.

A building under construction in Beijing "disappears" in the smog. /CFP Photo

In 2017, 700 villages will switch from coal to clean energy. Total coal use will be cut by 30 percent to seven million tonnes and 300,000 outdated vehicles will be phased out, according to the Beijing government work report, submitted to the ongoing city congress and political consultative conference.

(Source: Xinhua)