Lawyers suffer in toxic Beijing smog

Readers' comments (6)

• Helen Rowett | 4-Feb-2013 7:04 pm

  Back in September 1981, I was one of the first tourists allowed into China, that is, real tourists, not aficionados of steam trains or tractor design, or of course fellow travellers.
  In Beijing I was unable to wear my contact lenses as the air pollution was so acid that my eyes stung unbearably. It is one of my most abiding memories!

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Time for truth | 5-Feb-2013 7:15 am

  Why always criticize China? Western should clean their own back yard before complaining about pollution. The air quality in Beijing is already back to acceptable levels and there is no need to pay attention to US-backed smear campaign. I invite British friends to visit the beautiful 50000 years old city and see for yourself. Welcome to China!

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Westerner | 6-Feb-2013 3:06 am

  Having spent 5 years in China as a foreigner both in Beijing and Shanghai, I can definitely say that Beijing's air pollution has reached intolerable level. Beijing should take an IMMEDIATE action not for foreigners, but for themselves first.

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anon | 6-Feb-2013 5:16 pm

  @ Time for Truth - that's an interesting name for the Beijing tourist board...

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• another example of a Chinese own goal | 7-Feb-2013 8:42 am

  Time for truth:
  
  50000 years old city? Seriously? Peking Man may have been around at that time, it doesn't make it a city. You want people to accept your point of view, please at least cast it in some semblance to reality.
  
  As to this story, I live and work in Beijing at an international firm and know that many in the industry, including many Chinese complain regularly about this....so please get over yourself with this "everyone is out to get China" nonsense.
  
  The city has problems with pollution. Perhaps you should get yourself to London or Paris or even NY to see what other large cities look like to get a sense of why people say what they do about Beijing.
  
  It's a problem. I know it. Chinese around me know it. Deep down in your heart if you actually live in Beijing, you know it too. Why must so many Chinese think that pointing out a problem with China is somehow akin to an attack on China, the immediate defence of which should be the childish retort of "takes one to know one"....which is effectively what your post was about.

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Lincoln | 8-Feb-2013 12:56 pm

  I find it bizarre that so-called "Time For Truth" has taken this as some kind of racial slur rather than the simply enironmental comment that it is. "Time For Truth", have you actually been to China? I went with a group of fellow travellers for 4 weeks in 1999. It was fascinating and wonderful but one of my abiding memories is that fact that in Beijing and a number of other areas as well, we all developed coughs because the air pollution was so bad. "Time for Truth", covering your eyes, putting your fingers in your ears and humming loudly whilst you pretend that the pollution is not there will not create cleaner air; support and encourage the Chinese government in actually tackling the problem instead!

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment