China to invest billions in fighting Beijing's pollution

China is set to create a three-year US$16 billion (RMB 100 billion) plan to tackle Beijing’s pollution, Reuters reported, citing the state-backed China Daily newspaper. The plan will seek to improve sewage disposal, garbage processing and air quality via massive investment in new facilities such as garbage incineration and water recycling plants. Beijing’s air quality has been rated “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” by monitoring agencies since the beginning of 2013. The record levels of pollution were a central topic of discussion during the National People’s Congress in March. Beijing’s mayor, Wang Anshun, has publicly called on the government to involve the private sector in reducing pollution levels.