Beijing reveals 'blue sky days' results

Beijing has revealed the results of its drive to reduce air pollution in 2008 as it played host to last year's Olympic Games.

According to figures from the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, the city had 274 blue sky days, or a day when pollution is below stipulated levels, in 2008, reported the Xinhua News Agency.

This is 18 more than the city aimed for and the target was reached 31 days before the end of the year, highlighted deputy director of the bureau Du Shaozhong.

It also means that the air quality in Beijing has improved for the tenth consecutive year, he added.

Mr Shaozhong said this was due to a series of measures that city authorities have taken since 1998. It has also invested more than $15 billion (£10.3 billion) in improving the air quality since then.

In October, Beijing re-introduced a license plate-based system implemented during the Olympics, which was designed to allow fewer cars on its roads on alternate days.