To win the war against air pollution, it is more than important for the Beijing municipal government to come up with necessary measures to minimize the exposure of local residents, especially the most vulnerable groups, to the dense smog that could compromise public health.

The first-ever red alert issued by Beijing against hazardous air pollution between Tuesday and Thursday will allow the capital to fight this long and hard battle with high hopes.

The move may seem belated to many who suffered the effects of the thick smog that engulfed the city about a week ago. But there is no denying that it accords fresh credibility to Beijing's resolution to tackle the problem head on.