Hebei vows to meet capacity reduction targets in 2017

SHIJIAZHUANG - Hebei Province, a leading iron and steel producer, pledged on Sunday it will make every effort to achieve the 2013-2017 targets of cutting steel, cement and glass capacity.

Iron and steel capacity will be cut by 32 million tonnes this year, said governor Zhang Qingwei at a session of the provincial legislature on Sunday.

Capacities of coal, cement and flat glass will be reduced by 7.42 million tonnes, 1.1 million tonnes and 5 million weight cases in 2017.

"2017 will be our toughest year in capacity reduction. No matter how difficult it is ,we are determined to succeed," said Zhang.

Hebei produces one fourth of China's iron and steel and has more than half of the ten most polluted cities in the country.

The average PM2.5 density in Hebei dropped 9.1 percent last year and further fall of over 6 percent is required this year.

Hebei's "blue sky" action plan promotes use of electricity and gas instead of coal.