Across China: Beijing

Polluters punished

More than 8,000 firms have been penalized for pollution offences in the first eight months of the year, but the vice-minister of the environmental watchdog said the results are "far below" the expectations of the public.

Pan Yue, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, said four large-scale investigations into polluters had been carried out since 2005 and offenders had been penalized.