China's efforts to clear Beijing's polluted air ahead of the 2008 Summer
Olympics include a test to remove 1 million cars from the streets, the
International Olympic Committee reported Monday.
China's Olympic committee told the IOC Executive Board that it plans to take
the vehicles off the streets of Beijing for two weeks in August as a trial run
in case a similar measure is needed for next year's Olympics, IOC spokeswoman
Giselle Davies told a news conference.
Beijing's pollution has been a key concern of Olympic organizers and Chinese
officials tried to ease concerns in a presentation Monday to the IOC board.
According to Davies, the Chinese said they would replace 1,600 coal-burning
boilers that produce energy for factories and power plants and also would
replace 50,000 taxis and 10,000 old buses by the end of the
year.