BEIJING - Beijing will meet its pledge to have clean air for the Summer Olympics, an environmental official said Tuesday, playing down worries that the city's notorious smog will overshadow the Games.
Pollution-cutting measures in Beijing and surrounding areas were being intensified to make sure the air meets required standards, said State Environmental Protection Administration Vice Minister Zhang Lijun.
"After we have implemented all the measures, there is no problem for Beijing to meet the standards. We can deliver on our commitment,'' Zhang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's legislature.
Zhang's claim came a day after world marathon record-holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia said he might skip the long-distance running event in Beijing because of the city's poor air quality.
Considered the world's best distance runner, the 34-year-old Gebrselassie -- who has asthma -- fears his health could be damaged by running through the streets of the Chinese capital.
He said he would make a final decision in May after he finds out whether he qualifies for the 10,000-meter race. He would be a gold medal favourite if he did take part in either event.
A murky haze blankets Beijing on most days. With the Olympics around the corner, China has constantly been on the defensive over the pollution level.
Zhang said he expects that "by June, we will complete all tasks necessary'' to ensure the city will have the required clear air.
The measures include requiring Beijing, as well as the nearby city of Tianjin and Hebei province, to temporarily shut down some of their most heavily polluting plants. They include cement and steel factories.
The provinces of Shanxi and Shandong, along with the huge Inner Mongolia region, would also be required to restrict emissions from their coal-fired power plants. Zhang did not give details, but the measures could mean limits on electricity use and shorter working hours for companies.
In order to satisfy commitments made in 2001 in its bid to host the Olympics, Beijing will be required to show that it meets international standards for four major pollutants -- sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, inhalable particles and chemical oxygen demand, a measure of water pollution.
Regular monitoring of air quality has shown that the city has already met the standard for three of the four measures. Only inhalable particles still do not meet the acceptable level, Zhang said.
"Emissions of inhalable particles have been reduced significantly but they are not up to standard yet,'' he said.
Particle pollution remains Beijing's biggest challenge because it is attributed to construction, industry and vehicles.
Concerns about the capital's pollution have dominated international athletes' preparations for the games. Several countries have decided to station their athletes outside China -- in some cases in Japan or Korea -- for training.
Gebrselassie visited Beijing in January and voiced concern about the air quality then.
"The pollution is the most important thing,'' he said at the time. "Actually, when we talk about the pollution, it's not only during the Olympic Games. What about the people here? They are really suffering.''
Darryl Seibel, a spokesman for the United States Olympics Committee, said none of the 600 U.S. athletes competing in the games was planning to withdraw due to the air quality. However, some U.S. athletes have chosen to do their training outside of China -- for instance, the powerful U.S. swim team will train in Singapore.
"No U.S. athlete has indicated they are considering withdrawing from an event due to concerns about air quality,'' Seibel said. "For most U.S. athletes, their focus right now simply is on trying to qualify for the team.''
