A more stringent vehicle emission standard equivalent to the Euro III will begin on Sunday, said China's environmental regulator. And the sale and licensing of Euro II vehicles will expire a year later.

The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said that as the world's second-largest vehicle market and third-largest vehicle producer, China's rapidly growing car sales aren't just creating traffic jams in major cities; they're also causing noticeable deterioration of air quality in some large cities including the country's capital, Beijing.

The new standards would cut vehicle pollutants by 30 percent, said Zhao Yingmin, head of SEPA's department of science, technology and standards. He also said an emission standard equivalent to the Euro IV would take effect in 2010.

The new standard, equivalent to the Euro III, was issued in China by SEPA in April 2005. More than 7,000 types of vehicles have been able to meet the new standard, according to ministry figures. And most automakers in China have the technology to produce Euro III vehicles.

The national adoption of the Euro III standard will help the country reduce its pollutants, like sulfur dioxide (SO2). China planned to cut its SO2 emissions 2 percent year-on-year from 2006 to 2010, but failed to meet the target last year. SEPA reminded carmakers of the timetable to eliminate high-emission vehicles.