China’s Clean Air Bid Scares Rivals in Duel Over Dirty Fuel
- New China fuel standard may boost low-quality diesel exports
- Refiners in South Korea, Japan face more competition in Asia
Vehicles move in congested traffic along an expressway in Beijing, China, on Saturday, March 7, 2015. China set the lowest economic growth target in more than 15 years and flagged increasing headwinds as leaders tackle the side effects of a generation-long expansion that spurred corruption, fueled debt and hurt the environment.
Photographer: Tomohiro Ohsumi/BloombergChina’s recent push to clean up its air is leaving some of its neighbors feeling threatened.
The Asian country’s road to cleaner air has been gradual, with lead-free gasoline only becoming a requirement in 2000, almost three decades behind the U.S. This month, China imposed new curbs on the amount of sulfur in vehicle fuels to about a fifth of the previous standard, putting it on par with Europe, which has the world’s strictest emissions controls.