Full text at:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-06/15/content_339364.htm

Car-free Day drives home city's pollution concern
Zheng Lifei
2004-06-15 06:39

While Beijing is staging the nation's largest auto show, South China's
Shenzhen has taken the lead in trying to stay away from vehicles.

It held its first Car-free Day on Friday.

The two events - one intended to drive up car sales and the other
designed to heighten awareness about the environmental toll the
increasing number of cars is taking on the city - epitomizes a typical
economic development dilemma.

Since the world's first Car-free Day was held in France with the slogan
"In Town Without My Car" in 1998, two Chinese cities have decided to
take a stance - Chengdu in the southwestern province of Sichuan and now
Shenzhen.

Shenzhen's decision to hold the event was a direct response to its
declining air quality, which was once one of the best in the country.

Showing their support, more than 100,000 people, instead of driving
their cars, walked, pedaled or rode buses to work that day.

The soaring number of cars is the main culprit behind the deteriorating
air quality in Shenzhen, which is similar to all other big metropolises
in China.

Obviously, a single car-free day is too symbolic to really improve the
air pollution situation, as the rising number of cars leads to more
exhaust emissions. The current backward exhaust emission standard, Euro
II, is also adding to the problem.

But hopefully, such a day can be the first step in making us realize how
we have to take care of where we live.

While it is impossible to discourage consumers from buying cars, as the
car industry has already been designated as one of country's pillar
industries, the government should take more concrete steps to address
the worsening exhaust emission pollution situation as more people buy
cars.

Tightened controls over exhaust emissions and the speedy adoption of
strict, environmentally friendly emission standards, for example, would
be more effective in helping curb air pollution.