阅兵蓝 (yuebinglan): Parade blue

To guarantee good air quality in Beijing during the 2015 World Athletics Championships and the commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the country has taken various measures to curb air pollution. From Aug 20 to Aug 24, the capital's average PM2.5 index dropped to its lowest level in recorded history.

According to a report by the environment protection authority, Beijing's PM2.5 index remained excellent for the six days from Aug 20 to Aug 25, and the media has called the blue sky in Beijing during this period "parade blue".

Since Aug 20, Beijing has launched an alternate-day ban on cars with even and odd numbered license plates, and many industrial enterprises and construction sites have stopped work during this period to reduce air pollution. About 1,900 enterprises in Beijing suspended operations during these six days, a sharp increase compared with that during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings last year.

Between Aug 28 to Sept 4, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces, Tianjin municipality and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region will also reduce carbon emissions by up to 30 percent, which will help sustain the excellent air quality.

(China Daily 08/28/2015 page8)