China is running out of breath
China continues to fight air pollution, particularly in big cities. The country's authorities have ordered Beijing's citizens to wear respiratory protection masks. But environmentalists call for more vigorous measures.
Smog alarm in Beijing
Thick smog hovers over Beijing's Tiananmen Square as seen in this picture. Even the gigantic portrait of the country's founder Mao Zedong is covered by fog. Experts say that people living in the cities breathe in harmful gases.
Exceeding the limits
In Beijing alone, there are more than 5.4 million registered vehicles, whereas in Shanghai there are about 2.7 million cars. The increase in traffic over the years has been blamed for the poor air quality. According to statistics provided by Greenpeace, more than 90 of China's 190 major cities exceed the limits set by by the authorities.
Indoor training
These students perform their morning exercises in the school's hallway. The authorities recommend both young and elderly people not to train outside, as this might seriously damage their health.
Running with gas mask
Anyone in China who wants to indulge in some physical activity must be creative. This runner wears a gas mask while jogging in the Chinese capital's Olympic Park.
Old industrial sites
The old power plants and cement factories in northern China emit pollutants that compound the problem. Seven of China's ten most polluted cities are located in Hebei province. In a trip to China in April 2014, Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier campaigned for the use of environment-friendly technologies.
Raising awareness
Chinese film director Jia Zhangke made a short film about air pollution in China in 2013. Designed to raise awareness, the movie depicts how Chinese people deal with smog on a daily basis. Jia's father died from lung cancer nine years ago in the coal-rich Shanxi province.
'I thought I was blind'
"When I woke up this morning and opened the window I thought I was blind," wrote a Chinese citizen on Weibo, the Chinese micro-blogging website, "but then I realized it was smog."
'APEC Blue'
The authorities managed to bring down pollution levels in Beijing before the APEC Summit in November 2014, as seen in this picture of the conference venue. The officials shut down construction sites and factories in the area, and traffic was artificially reduced. Many in China dubbed the summit "APEC Blue" for its environmental success.