BEIJING — Vice-Premier Han Zheng has called on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and neighboring areas to take targeted measures to improve air quality and ensure safe heating for local households.

Han made the remarks at a teleconference on air pollution control and treatment in the region on Nov 1.

Indiscriminate measures should be avoided, while both the symptoms and root causes of related problems should be addressed to ensure steady air quality improvement, he said.

He called for optimized planning of regional industries and major infrastructure projects, as well as adjustments to encourage rail transport.

Effective steps should be taken to ensure that local people enjoy a warm winter with sound and safe heating at stable prices, Han said.