Beijing is set to prioritize pollution control as top-level officials of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet in the city until Aug 21.

The APEC meetings will consist of about 100 different disscussions covering a multitude of topics including agriculture, investment and trade.  

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The Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau said the city will implement more extensive pollution control measures than usual, including quicker and more frequent issuance of air quality updates to the public.

If air quality index is determined to be any higher than 200 over the next few days, the bureau will issue an "orange alert," which is the second-highest level in the four-level warning system.

In the event of an orange alert, however, environment officials will implement measures that are used during a red alert, the highest level on the warning system.

One of these measures will include allowing only 30 percent of government vehicles to be in use. Privately-owned vehicles will also be restrained from plying the streets based on the odd-even number endings on their license plates. 

In addition, no vehicles from other cities or areas outside of Beijing will be allowed to drive on the Sixth Ring Road at any time of the day if an orange alert was up. 

Director Wang Chengjun said they will put a stop to all construction operations that could potentially create dust and worsen air particulate density.

To ensure that these pollution control measures are strictly enforced, the traffic authority will be working hand in hand with other government agencies to make people abide by the vehicle restrictions in an orange alert.

TagsAPEC, Beijing Air Pollution