The "airpocalypse" that settled over Beijing and vast swaths of northern China in late February, blotting out the sun and reducing visibility to a few meters, drove even longtime residents indoors. The air quality index, which measures a fine particulate known as PM 2.5, averaged more than 16 times the recommended limit. The Chinese capital became all but "unsuitable for human habitation," as one report (quickly censored) put it. The smog is sure to be a central topic at the National People's Congress in Beijing, which began on March 5. Scientists claim that by blocking so much natural light, air pollution may threaten crops accounting for 10 percent of China's gross domestic product. And as it spreads to Korea, Japan, and even California, the dirty air could soon become a geopolitical issue.
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