China smog: dangerous to breathe

Particle levels in Beijing's air in recent days have reached more than 16 times the World Health Organization's (WHO) safety guideline. Some nearby areas have it even worse, making face masks standard equipment.

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This picture, taken on February 24, 2014 shows visitors wearing masks in Temple of Heaven in haze-covered Beijing. China's National Meteorological Centre issued a "yellow" smog alert for much of the country's north on Monday, the fifth consecutive day of heavy pollution which has slashed visibility and seen pollution reach hazardous levels. AFP

China's Xi breathes Beijing smog on surprise outing

Beijing, AFP — China's President Xi Jinping paid a rare visit to one of Beijing's smog-hit streets Tuesday, drawing praise from Internet users for his latest apparent attempt to portray himself as close to ordinary citizens.

"Breathing the same air, sharing the same fate," said a widely shared online headline, as a large swathe of China was covered by a dangerous blanket of haze for a sixth consecutive day.

Small airborne particles, which easily penetrate the lungs and are known as PM 2.5, have been linked to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths, and the problem has emerged as a major source of discontent with China's government.

A shaky video and pictures emerged of Xi walking outdoors – without a facemask – in a popular shopping and cafe district just south of Beijing's ancient Drum Tower.

The stroll appeared to have been planned in advance, as television cameras were also in evidence in the pictures posted on Sina Weibo, a Chinese social networking service similar to Twitter.

Levels of PM 2.5, have repeatedly reached more than 400 micrograms per cubic metre in recent days, according to a count by the US embassy in Beijing, more than 16 times the World Health Organization's (WHO) safety guideline of 25 micrograms.

Participants, many of them with gas masks, jump and run as they take part in the annual 3.5 km Undie Run held in the Olympic Forest Park smog-covered Beijing on Sunday. AFP

Xi's outing came as local media reported that a Chinese man had made the country's first ever attempt to sue the government over pollution.

Li Guixin, of Shijiazhuang – a city near Beijing which is frequently hit by heavy smog – filed a case with a local court seeking 10,000 yuan ($1,600) in damages from the city's Environmental Protection Bureau, the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily newspaper said.

Li is reportedly seeking compensation on the grounds that he was forced to spend money on an air purifier and face masks in order to cope with the pollution. It was not clear if the court would accept the case.

The noxious haze – which in recent years has become a regular sight in many parts of northern China – was once again a top topic on China's Internet message boards.

Images showing statues of Chinese intellectuals  wearing anti-pollution facemasks were among the most shared on Tuesday.

"This is a silent protest!", said one user on Weibo, under a picture of the statues at Peking University, which were posted by a student who carried out the stunt.

Official Chinese monitoring statistics said PM 2.5 levels reached 576 micrograms per cubic metre on Tuesday in Tangshan, a city in Beijing's neighbouring province of Hebei.

The haze is expected to last until Thursday and Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO Representative in China, described it as a "crisis" at a press conference Tuesday.

China shuts polluting factories and aims to limit the amount of cars to help combat pollution, but many analysts point to the use of coal for energy as the main source of the country's smog.

Environmental issues, including smog, will be a "major focus" at next month's meetings of the National People's Congress, China Daily said.

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