New fund will pay for research on smog

A new fund will be set up to pool the knowledge of the country's top scientists to discover the "unique" cause of smog that frequently blankets northern China in winter, Premier Li Keqiang announced Wednesday.

"Blue skies will not be, and should not be, a luxury," he said at a news conference on Wednesday at the end of the annual two sessions.

The premier highlighted the government's increasing financial support for smog-related research, aiming to tackle the air pollution more effectively, after some scientists pointed out that the causes of smog in northern regions in winter are unique in the world.