Clearing the air at smoke-free sessions

A strict nationwide ban on officials smoking in public has been imposed at this year's provincial two sessions. In most provinces, "no smoking" signs have been placed on walls and pillars in the conference halls and ashtrays have been removed from the venues.

During the Guizhou provincial two sessions, the flowers and red carpets that usually adorn the conference hall are nowhere to be seen, and the chambers formerly reserved for smokers have been turned into tea rooms.

"It's also forbidden to smoke at restaurants and hotels, which is a good way of enforcing the non-smoking policy," said Zhang Mingfu, a deputy at the Guizhou Provincial People's Congress.