Beijing closes 375 polluting plants so far this year

Beijing has shut down 375 polluting factories this year as part of the capital's clean air action plan, the city's authorities said on Wednesday.

The closed plants were in foundry, plating, building materials, pottery, glass, furniture and dyeing industries, said the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology.

These plants will not move to other places, meaning no transfer of pollution elsewhere, said an official with the commission.

According to the Beijing Clean Air Action Plan (2013-2017), the city planned to close 300 polluting industrial plants in 2014.

The city has closed 663 firms since the plan was unveiled in 2013. By the end of 2016, it will shut 1,200 companies in total.

The Chinese capital, which will host the APEC meetings next month, faces the tough task of treating pollution and improving air quality.

In October, three bouts of thick haze hit Beijing and its neighboring cities.

On Tuesday, Beijing government issued a list to phase out 105 techniques in polluting industries and 50 versions of outdated production equipment.

Beijing aims to cut PM2.5 (airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter ) by five percent year-on-year in 2014.