The Beijing Meteorological Bureau on Wednesday morning issued a code yellow alert to warn residents of smog in several districts via its weibo account, according to people.com.cn.
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It is the first smog to hit the capital since the APEC Economic Leaders' Week ended on November 12.
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The alert warned that Daxing, Tongzhou and Fangshan districts would be shrouded by smog from Wednesday to Thursday.
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Another forecast by the bureau on Wednesday morning said air pollution across the capital would be worse in the evening, as high pressure had been preventing pollutants from dispersing.
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During the APEC meetings, Beijing had been free of smog as emission-heavy production drew to a halt and half of cars across the capital were banned to lessen pollution.
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Peng Yingdeng, an environmental protection expert, believes improving the air quality in Beijing is a long-term project. He said: "It's impossible to expect Beijing's air will change fundamentally through some short-term temporary regulations and measures."
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According to Peng, the blue sky during the APEC shows that temporary measures can work to decrease the air pollution, which could be referenced as the method for long-term air pollution prevention.
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The bureau issued a code blue alert of air pollution in the city at 3pm, according to an update on chinanews.com.