Beijing bans new refining, steel, coal power to curb pollution

BEIJING (Reuters) - The city of Beijing will ban the construction of new oil refining, steel, cement and thermal power plants as well as the expansion of existing projects, the local government said in its latest policy document aimed at tackling air pollution. The document, published on the Beijing government's official website (www.bjrd.gov.cn) on Wednesday and approved by the local legislature last week, also commits China's capital city to cut total emissions of PM 2.5, a key component of air pollution, by 5 percent this year. Beijing was hit by hazardous smog last January, prompting the central government to pledge tough new measures to improve air quality throughout the country. (Reporting by Kathy Chen and David Stanway; Editing by Miral Fahmy)