Beijing is studying the feasibility of introducing strict car control policies to better fight air pollution, executive vice mayor Li Shixiang said in a forum.

Accordingly, cars with odd and even licence plate numbers would be banned from the city's roads on alternate days, even over weekends.

More than a quarter of Beijing's 20 million people owns a car, while the city is regularly hit by choking, acrid smog.

Currently, local authorities ban traffic one day per week, depending on the final digit of a licence plate, and with two numbers included each time.

"We are still discussing the possibility of allowing cars with odd or even license plate numbers to access city streets on alternate days," Li said.

He added that government efforts to battle air pollution would be "unprecedented."

Li coined the "APEC blue" term in reference to the capital's blue skies during the APEC conference, made possible thanks to the joint effort of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinces as well as surrounding areas.

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