China Pledges to Address Air Pollution

Old vehicles to be removed as part of a pollutant reduction strategy

China's capital Beijing will strengthen measures to combat pollution, state media reported Tuesday, amid public anger over the dangerous air quality in the sprawling metropolis.

Acting mayor Wang Anshun told the city's legislature that steps will include removing old vehicles from roads, shutting down coal-fired plants and planting more greenery, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

"Beijing will complete afforestation of 66,000 hectares (163,020 acres) to make the city's forest coverage hit 40 percent or above" over the next five years, Wang said.