China’s national broadcaster urged smog-stricken citizens to grin and bear it as Beijing entered the second day of an air pollution red alert.



In a tweet entitled Tips to survive the smog, the state-run network CCTV wrote: “Smile and try to be positive (hopefully there will be less smog tomorrow).”

Other suggestions from the Beijing-based broadcaster included not going outside unless absolutely necessary, blowing your nose, drinking more tea, smoking less and even wiping down your skin after spending time outdoors.

Tips from the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on beating the smog. Photograph: CCTV

Recent days have also seen authorities caution Beijing’s 23 million residents to rinse out their mouths, shun contact lenses and hang up their winter jackets “to reduce contamination indoors”.

On Wednesday morning air pollution levels in the Chinese capital were up to 10 times higher than what is considered safe by the World Health Organisation.

Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said environmental authorities were engaged in a “tough” crackdown on firms that continued to ignore the compulsory three-day shutdown, which began at 7am on Monday.

“Some polluting enterprises, including a stone processing factory and several clothing workshops, continued to operate on Tuesday after [the] red alert,” Xinhua reported.

Two million private cars have been ordered off the roads as part of Beijing’s attempts to banish the toxic gloom that has engulfed the city.

By Tuesday evening traffic police had caught 3,690 vehicles flouting the ban, according to reports.

One of those drivers, who gave his name only as Mr Qian, was fined 100 yuan (about £10) for taking his car out on the wrong day.

“I drove today because I didn’t really know about [the red alert],” he said shortly after being pulled over. “I only found out about it after the traffic police stopped my car.

“I think we should comply with the government’s policy,” Qian added. “After all, the pollution is really bad.”

A girl is given oxygen in a respiratory treatment room of a local hospital during heavy smog in Beijing. Photograph: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

In an editorial the Global Times newspaper said the red alert carried “symbolic significance” but would fail in the short term to vanquish the smog, which is mostly caused by coal-fired power plants.

Still, the government’s unprecedented step was a sign that “the country now faces its problems head-on and respects the public’s appeals and demands”, it said.

Xinhua said there had been “panic buying” of face masks in some areas as families sought to protect themselves from the toxic atmosphere.

But many reacted to the latest “airpocalypse” with resignation. “This is modern life for Beijing people,” office worker Cao Yong told Associated Press. “We wanted to develop and now we pay the price.”