FILE PHOTO: Vehicles are seen as heavy smog blankets China's capital after the city issued its first air pollution alert for the winter season, in Beijing, China November 26, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday it will encourage local governments to provide subsidies and formulate targets to speed up the elimination of highly polluting diesel trucks from the country’s roads, as it seeks to crack down on such vehicle emissions.

Beijing made the comments in a document issued on the State Council’s website, which detailed efforts to upgrade China’s road freight industry. It did not provide further details on the potential subsidies.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment in January said it would “significantly increase” the number of diesel trucks capable of meeting emission standards by 2020, targeting a compliance rate of at least 90 percent by next year.

The ministry said last year that while diesel trucks accounted for just 7.8 percent of China’s total vehicles, they contributed as much as 57.3 percent of total nitrogen dioxide emissions and more than three quarters of airborne particulate matter.