Five districts in Beijing have announced plans to cap or lower their population in the next few years, local media reported on Wednesday, as the Chinese capital bids to tackle chronic pollution and congestion.
Beijing was one of 24 cities across northern China to issue a smog "red alerts" in the past week, triggering emergency measures to close factories and restrict traffic.
The heavy pollution in Beijing cleared on Thursday, but it could return, with energy demand — much of which is met by coal — to remain high throughout the winter heating season.