Clear sky should be forever

CLEANER AIR AND BLUER SKY CAN BE expected for the capital and its adjacent areas during the week when the APEC meetings are held. But it is the outcome of cutting half of the motor vehicles on the road in Beijing and seven neighboring cities by rotating plate numbers and suspending the production of many of the factories in these cities; measures reminiscent of those employed to ensure clear skies during the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

We have reason to feel proud of the country's ability to achieve temporary air quality improvement in the capital by adopting special measures for such occasions. Such big events certainly require clear skies, and many people are willing to make a sacrifice to ensure that is possible.

Yet, we are also looking forward to the days when it will not be necessary to introduce these special measures to ensure clean air for whatever international events are held in the city, or indeed elsewhere in the country.