China ‘winning’ war on smog

BEIJING: China appears to be "winning" its war on air pollution, making so much progress that life expectancy could rise by more than two years, according to a US university study.

The Chinese government has been waging a battle to clear its skies of smog that has cut life expectancy in some regions and prompted its citizens to buy masks and air purifiers to protect themselves during peak pollution days.

The University of Chicago says in its study released Monday that while the world´s biggest polluter faces a long road to reach national and international air quality standards, the results "suggest the country is winning its war on pollution".

Based on daily data from more than 200 monitors across China from 2013 to 2017, the analysis found that cities have cut levels of PM 2.5, the tiny airborne particles considered most harmful to health -- by an average of 32 percent in just four years.