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China targets companies and traffic to improve air quality for Winter Olympics
- Beijing and neighbouring province of Hebei given powers to close businesses and restrict vehicle use during the Games
- Different measures to be taken for different emission sources, environment ministry says, insisting the economic impact will be relatively small
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The Chinese capital and its neighbouring province of Hebei will take temporary measures to shut down companies and stop traffic during the Winter Olympics to clean up the air.
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Hosted by Beijing and the Hebei city of Zhangjiakou, the Games will begin on February 4 and will be followed in March by the Winter Paralympics.
In addition to controlling the spread of the coronavirus during the Olympics, Beijing is under huge pressure to improve its air quality.
Environment ministry spokesman Liu Youbin said on Monday that, with northern China facing challenges in controlling its air pollution during winter, Beijing and Hebei could authorise local governments to impose temporary controls on high-emissions businesses and on vehicle use.
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The measures would have a relatively small economic impact, Liu said.
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“When heavy pollution is predicted to occur, localities … will initiate emergency responses,” he said. “[Different measures] will be taken for different emission sources.”
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