The first big news I heard about Xi shutting down factories in order to reduce air pollution around Beijing was in August 2015 in the lead-up to the
CCP's big event in Sept. 3, 2015, where Xi wanted clear blue skies around Beijing, which he achieved in order to provide a pleasant atmosphere for his
announcements (increase to 2 child policy) and important guests, such as Putin, Lukashenko & son, Kim, etc.
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I'm all for improved air quality, but it was achieved via arbitrary and authoritarian dictates when there were already strict rules in place for pollution outputs. Everyone was shut down for six weeks, and even the factories that were doing everything correctly were closed because a system so corrupt can't be trusted from above or below.
Xi could not allow any emissions producing factories in the entirety of the greater Beijing metro area to remain open for nearly two months in order to guarantee blue skies for his big day.
It's nice to have a govt that can get things done, but it sucks if your 100% rules-following, zero-emissions factory is put out of business because the other guy can't be trusted not to bribe his way out of a jam and create some PM 2.5 that embarrasses the great leader.