Beijing to intensify battle against air pollution

BEIJING -- Beijing will intensify the battle against air pollution, as the city mayor promised Sunday to take "extra" anti-smog measures in 2017.

Beijing mayor Cai Qi said in a media conference that the municipal government will continue to decrease coal use by helping residents in 700 villages use clean energy.

"We will try to basically realize zero coal use in six major districts and in Beijing's southern plain areas this year," Cai said, adding that the city will eliminate coal-fired boilers that each produces no more than 10 tonnes of steam per hour.

"We will slash coal use by 30 percent to less than 7 million tonnes in 2017," he said.

Meanwhile, Beijing will kick 300,000 old vehicles off the roads this year and promote new energy cars instead.

"It is an urgent task for Beijing and its neighboring areas to work together and improve air quality in the region," Cai said.

Average density of PM 2.5 in the Chinese capital was 73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016, down 9.9 percent from the previous year, according to Lu Yan, head of the Beijing Municipal Reform and Development Commission.