New Delhi, Dec 17: Strict vehicle emission controls and large-scale industrial restructuring were central to Beijing’s air-quality gains, the Chinese Embassy in India said as Delhi grappled with another spell of toxic smog.
In a social media post, embassy spokesperson Yu Jing outlined how China enforced ultra-strict vehicle emission standards comparable to Euro 6 norms and phased out older, high-emission vehicles across the capital.
India introduced BS-VI emission standards for vehicles manufactured after April 1, 2020, but enforcement has remained uneven. Delhi banned the entry of non-BS VI vehicles only earlier this week, despite deteriorating air quality since late October.
Beijing also restricted vehicle growth through licence-plate lotteries, imposed weekday driving limits and expanded metro and bus networks. Jing said the rapid adoption of electric vehicles played a major role in cutting urban emissions.
Delhi has implemented odd-even road rationing in the past, but studies show the measure has not delivered lasting reductions in pollution levels.
Jing said a critical difference was regional coordination. Beijing worked closely with Tianjin and Hebei under a unified air-control framework, limiting pollution spillover from surrounding industrial zones.
Delhi continues to face cross-border pollution, particularly from stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Despite repeated Supreme Court orders, coordination gaps and political disputes have slowed progress.
Industrial reform was another major pillar of Beijing’s strategy. According to the embassy, more than 3,000 polluting industries were shut down or relocated. Moving Shougang, one of China’s largest steelmakers, alone cut inhalable particulate matter by about 20%.
Former industrial sites were converted into parks, cultural venues and commercial spaces. The Shougang complex later served as a key venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Beijing also shifted wholesale markets, logistics hubs and some institutions to nearby cities while retaining research and service sectors within the capital.
Experts caution that Delhi cannot copy the Beijing model wholesale. Year-round traffic restrictions may not be practical, they say, and agricultural reforms are essential to curb crop-residue burning.
“Any lasting solution for Delhi must combine cleaner transport, industrial reform and farm-level changes,” an environmental policy analyst said.
