Beijing, once called 'smog capital' tackled air pollution, will Delhi learn from China?

Hazardous air quality, dense smog and a spike in respiratory illnesses have once again gripped Delhi this winter.

As the capital’s air quality remained in the severe category for most of the week, the Chinese embassy in India offered assistance by sharing a step-by-step account of how Beijing dramatically improved its air quality over the past decade.

Both China and India 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) December 15, 2025

In an extensive post on X, Chinese embassy spokesperson Yu Jing highlighted that both China and India have struggled with air pollution amid rapid urbanisation.

“Cleaner air doesn’t happen overnight — but it is achievable,” she wrote, sharing before-and-after images of Beijing’s skyline.

The post also included air quality readings from December 15, showing Delhi’s AQI at 447, while Beijing recorded a significantly cleaner 67.

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) December 16, 2025

Tackling vehicular pollution

Detailing Beijing’s approach to vehicle emissions, Jing said China enforced ultra-strict emission standards comparable to Euro 6 norms and phased out older, high-emission vehicles. India adopted BS-VI emission norms for vehicles manufactured after April 1, 2020, but enforcement remains weak.

Delhi banned the entry of non-BS VI vehicles only earlier this week, despite battling toxic air since Diwali. The embassy also cited measures such as licence-plate lotteries, odd-even and weekday driving restrictions, and heavy investments in metro and bus networks. Rapid adoption of electric mobility was another key focus.

While Delhi has experimented with odd-even road rationing, the policy has not led to a sustained reduction in pollution levels.

Jing emphasised that Beijing’s success was possible due to coordinated policies across the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, preventing pollution spillover from neighbouring areas — a challenge Delhi continues to face.

One major contributor to Delhi’s pollution crisis is stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Despite repeated Supreme Court directives, lack of coordination and political blame games have undermined efforts to address the issue.

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%.

🏭➡️🏞️ Transform vacated factories into parks,… pic.twitter.com/SYPOsoMaO1

— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) December 17, 2025

Industrial restructuring

The second pillar of Beijing’s strategy involved industrial restructuring. According to the embassy, over 3,000 heavy industries were shut down or relocated. Relocating Shougang, one of China’s largest steelmakers, alone reduced inhalable particulate matter by 20%.

Vacated industrial sites were converted into parks, commercial centres, cultural spaces and tech hubs. The former Shougang complex, for example, became a major venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Beijing also moved wholesale markets, logistics hubs, and some educational and medical institutions to nearby cities, while retaining high-value research, development and service sectors within the capital.

Beijing once called “smog capital”

Once dubbed the world’s “smog capital”, Beijing began its turnaround with a national five-year action plan in 2013. Measures included shutting coal-fired boilers, promoting public transport and new-energy vehicles, and accelerating the shift to renewable energy.

Delhi, despite deploying interventions such as water sprinkling, anti-smog guns and traffic restrictions, continues to record dangerously high pollution levels.

Experts caution that while Delhi shares some pollution sources with Beijing, directly replicating the “Beijing model” would be difficult without adapting it to local realities. Year-long transport curbs may not be feasible, and unresolved inter-state disputes over stubble burning remain a major hurdle.

They stress that integrating agricultural reforms to curb stubble burning and significantly expanding public transport infrastructure are critical to addressing Delhi’s air pollution emergency.