Beijing calls on US to stop publishing pollution data

Chinese officials asked foreign diplomats to stop publishing data on the country’s air pollution, arguing that the readings are a violation of the Vienna conventions on diplomatic conduct, Financial Times reported. Wu Xiaoling, China’s deputy environment minister, said that foreign consulate publications of Chinese air pollution data are illegal and warned diplomats not to “interfere in the internal affairs” of China. “When various foreign consulates in China independently monitor air quality, and then publish air quality information on the internet, it not only contravenes the spirit of the Vienna conventions … but also violates the relevant environmental rules,” said Wu. The remarks were aimed at the US embassy in Beijing, along with consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou, which publish hourly updates on city air quality that are often at odds with Chinese government data.