The new standard for petrol and diesel, with sulphur content within 10 parts per million, is expected to be in practice nationwide by 2017.

 

　　Currently Beijing is the only city in China to have adopted such a standard.

 

　　A lower standard, namely no more than 50 parts per million of sulphur content, is expected to be in place by the end of 2014.

 

　　The State Council says domestic oil refiners should upgrade their equipment to ensure they can provide qualified products in accordance with the timetables and fuel prices.

 

　　China's developed regions, including Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, currently use the standard of 50 parts per million or below.

 

　　But other regions have an even lower standard allowing sulphur content to be as high as 150 parts per million.

 

　　For more on this, I spoke earlier with Mr. Zhou Dadi, director general of the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission.