China Promises “Blue Skies” as Smog Persists

Michael Lelyveld  |  Radio Free Asia After setbacks for plans to clean up its coal and steel industries, China’s government is trying not to repeat its mistakes in 2017 as it promises “to make our skies blue again.” Premier Li Keqiang made the pledge Sunday at the start of China’s annual legislative sessions after the […]

China’s Fight Against Air Pollution Suffers Setback

Joyce Huang  |  Voice of America A recent recovery in steel and coal production in China has posed a challenge to the country’s war on pollution, aimed at reversing the damage done to its skies, soil and water. As both industries represent two of the largest polluting sectors in China, some analysts are expressing concerns […]

China Holds Five Officials Over ‘Falsification’ of Air Monitoring Data

Yang Fan  |  Radio Free Asia Five officials in the northwestern Chinese city of Xian have been detained after they were found to have tampered with air quality monitoring equipment and to have falsified data, official media reported. The move comes as the ruling Chinese Communist Party tries to set up a real-time air pollution […]

China’s desertification is causing trouble across Asia

Marijn Nieuwenhuis  |  The Conversation Creeping desertification in China is swallowing thousands of square kilometres of productive soil every year. It’s a challenge of gigantic and unprecedented proportions. The rate of desertification increased throughout the second half of last century and, although this trend has since stabilised, the situation remains very serious. More than a […]