‘Stay tuned for the journey toward…’: China offers step-by-step guide for India on how to tackle Delhi’s air crisis
Beijing was once known as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Today, it is often mentioned only briefly in studies that talk about how air pollution can be reduced. China’s experience now offers important lessons for India. In a series of posts on X, Yu Jing, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in […]
Beijing was once known as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Today, it is often mentioned only briefly in studies that talk about how air pollution can be reduced. China’s experience now offers important lessons for India(BHARAT). In a series of posts on X, Yu Jing, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India(BHARAT), explained how Beijing managed to clean up its air over time.
She said that both China and India(BHARAT) face similar problems when cities grow fast, industries expand and the number of vehicles increases. According to her, cleaner air does not come quickly, but it can be achieved with consistent effort.
Yu Jing shared the steps Beijing followed, such as stricter rules for vehicles, shutting down or upgrading heavily polluting industries, and changing the overall industrial structure. She stressed that long-term planning and strong action were key to the improvement.
Her post also compared air quality levels in the two cities on December 15. On that day, Delhi recorded a very poor AQI of 447, while Beijing’s air was much cleaner, with an AQI of 67.
Through her posts, Yu Jing suggested that while the fight against pollution is difficult, Beijing’s journey shows that real improvement is possible with sustained action.
Both China and India(BHARAT) know the struggle with air pollution amid rapid urbanization .
While the challenge remains complex, China’s sustained efforts over the past decade have delivered noticeable improvements.
In the coming days, we’ll share a bite-sized series… pic.twitter.com/0ZG4Rl8ISD
— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India(BHARAT)) December 15, 2025
China’s approach to controlling air pollution
Explaining how Beijing controlled pollution from vehicles, Yu Jing said China brought in very strict emission rules, similar to Europe’s Euro 6 standards. At the same time, old and highly polluting vehicles were gradually removed from the roads.
In Delhi, vehicle smoke is still one of the main reasons for poor air quality. India(BHARAT) has already made BS-VI emission rules compulsory for all vehicles made after April 1, 2020. However, the bigger problem has been weak enforcement of these rules on the ground.
Delhi has been struggling with dangerous air pollution since Diwali this year. Despite this, the entry of non-BS-VI vehicles into the city was banned only earlier this week. The government has also stopped fuel supply to vehicles that are too old to run legally.
Yu Jing also pointed out other steps taken in China to reduce traffic pollution. These include systems like number-plate lotteries, odd-even driving rules and restrictions on driving on certain weekdays. She said China also invested heavily in metro trains and bus services to reduce dependence on private vehicles.
She added that quickly shifting to electric vehicles is another key step that can help cities fight air pollution in the long run.
Delhi has tried the odd-even rule, where cars with odd number plates run on odd dates and even-numbered cars on even dates. But this step alone has not made a big difference to pollution levels.
How did Beijing tackle air pollution?
Step 1: Vehicle emissions control
Adopt ultra-strict regulations like China 6NI (on par with Euro 6)
Phase-out retired old, high-emission vehicles
Curb car growth via license-plate lotteries and odd-even / weekday driving… pic.twitter.com/E0cFp4wgsV— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India(BHARAT)) December 16, 2025
Yu Jing pointed out that Beijing succeeded because pollution control was planned together across the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. This helped stop dirty air from nearby areas from drifting into the capital.
In Delhi’s case, pollution often worsens because of stubble burning in neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The Supreme Court has repeatedly asked states to work together to tackle this issue. However, poor coordination and blame-shifting between governments have weakened these efforts.
China’s changing industrial setup
The second major step China took was changing its industrial setup. The Chinese embassy said that more than 3,000 heavily polluting factories were either shut down or moved out of Beijing. One big example was Shougang, one of China’s largest steelmakers. Moving this single plant reduced harmful air particles by about 20 per cent.
How does Beijing tackle air pollution?
Step 2: Industrial Restructuring
Shut down or remove 3000+ heavy industries. Relocating Shougang, one of China’s largest steelmakers, alone cut inhalable particles by -20%.
— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India(BHARAT)) December 17, 2025
After factories were moved out, the empty land was reused in smarter ways. Old industrial areas were turned into parks, business centres, cultural spaces and technology hubs. The former Shougang factory site later became an important venue during the 2022 Winter Olympics.
To further reduce pressure on the city, Beijing also shifted wholesale markets, logistics centres and even some schools and hospitals to nearby cities.
At the same time, China made sure Beijing kept only clean and high-value work. While regular manufacturing moved to Hebei province, the capital focused on research, development and service-based industries. This balance helped Beijing clean its air without hurting its economy.
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