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actually you are correct; local governments in China have been known to fake air data

https://medium.com/@shanghaiist/officials-use-mist-cannon-to...

and this year, Shanghai's air pollution has been worse than Beijing. Some say due to the cold air pushing the pollution down this year.

https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2018/02/12/shanghai-air-pol...

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Beijing actually made huge improvements using drastic methods to eliminate coal consumption in the rural regions surrounding Beijing. This has made heating a bit bothersome (some poorer or colder villagers, natural gas shortages), but has improved air quality substantially.

Beijing’s air is better because that’s where the emperor is ;). (Or what my Chinese friends call him, Xi baozi - xi dumpling)

That was not true for a really long time though, Beijing was still pretty bad even last year. Mr. 11 can always just go off to his villa somewhere else anyways.

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