CHANGCHUN, August 25 (Xinhua) -- Beijing plans to lead the country in imposing Euro III emission standards on motor vehicles in 2008 to strictly control the tail gas pollution, said Liu Haiyan, vice-mayor of the city.
At the ongoing second China Changchun International Automobile Fair in northeast China, Liu said that the number of motor vehicles in Beijing has climbed to 1.6 million, ranking first among all the cities of China, or accounting for 10 percent of China's total. The figure is expected to grow to 2.5 million in 2008.
The rapid increase of vehicles brings air and noise pollution. Currently, pollution caused by motor vehicles is one of the major pollution sources in Beijing, according to Liu.
A series of pollution control efforts have been made in the city, and the Euro I emission standards was put in effect in 1998. Lead-free petroleum and green fuels are encouraged in Beijing.
The government plans to put in use 8,000 buses and 40,000 cabs using natural gas and build 168 natural gas stations by 2007, said Liu.
At the same time, China's automobile enterprises vow to make more environmental-friendly cars to meet the stringent emission standards.
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