Cold air disperses Beijing's smog

The heavy haze over Beijing for the last four days was dispersed by cold wind on Saturday evening and the orange alert for heavy air pollution withdrawn.

Cold gales hit the city on Saturday evening and dispersed the smog, which covered many parts of north China, forcing authorities to take emergency measures and cut industrial emissions.

The air quality index (AQI) is forecast to be between 30 and 50 -- "excellent" -- on Sunday, according to the municipal meteorological authority.

Air pollution is a thorny problem for the government ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting slated for November.

All construction sites are required to meet dust control standards and some work such as demolition will be halted during APEC events, said a notice issued by the municipal housing and urban-rural development commission on Sept. 28.

Early this year, Beijing's Vice Mayor Zhang Gong said special law enforcement campaigns will be carried out during the events to guarantee air quality.