Premier Li Keqiang called for efforts to not only meet people’s expectations for blue skies, but also ensure the basic requirements for people’s lives, such as heating.

“Fighting against air pollution for a blue sky is the top priority of pollution control and prevention,” said Premier Li at the State Council executive meeting on June 13.

During the meeting, decisions were made to carry out a three-year action plan to reduce air pollution, especially in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and neighboring areas and the Yangtze River Delta region.

For China to win the battle against air pollution, it is necessary to upgrade the industrial structure and weed out outdated capacities, as the issue of air pollution essentially stems from the current economic structure and mode of consumption, according to Premier Li.

The Premier stresses developing the energy conservation industry, and making efforts to grow it into a pillar industry through the introduction of advanced technologies and management experiences.

He called for efforts to control air pollution in a scientific and gradual way, use energy sources in light of circumstances in different regions, and meet the winter heating demands of people in the northern region of China.

The Premier also asked related departments to ensure quality in upgrading facilities, and eliminate safety loopholes left from the past.

He encouraged innovation in environmental supervision, including random inspections and reporting mechanisms for illegal activities.

The government should enhance law enforcement for environmental protection, promote information disclosure and evaluation mechanisms, and mobilize the whole society to defend our blue skies, the Premier added.