WAR AGAINST POLLUTION

Together with a range of other steps to address public concerns, Premier Li said China will "declare war" against pollution and penalize crooked officials "without mercy" in accordance with the law.

Just ahead of the parliament session, smog once again blanketed the Chinese capital for at least a week, highlighting the urgency for the country to take serious actions to curb pollution.

"The government will start by reducing PM10 and PM2.5 emissions," said the premier.

A total of 50,000 small coal-fired furnaces will be shut down this year and six million old high-emission vehicles will be removed from the roads, according to the report.

The government will also implement the clean water action plan, strengthen the protection of sources of drinking water, prevent and control water pollution in key river basins, and carry out land restoration, according to the report.

The National People's Congress, China's top legislature, started its annual session Wednesday morning in Beijing.