The president of a Beijing-based steel firm said yesterday his company may reduce or suspend production during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to curb pollution.

　　"We'll take substantial measures, including production slowdown and suspension, to reduce pollution if we are unable to move all the polluting plants by the time the Olympics open," said Zhu Jimin, president of Beijing Shougang Group, one of China's largest steel and iron makers.

　　The central government approved a plan for Beijing Shougang Group to relocate its factories to neighboring Hebei Province by 2010.

　　Zhu, also a deputy to the National People's Congress, told the delegation of lawmakers that his steel company has a major role to play in cleaning and purifying Beijing's air.

　　"We'll seek technological advancement this year to further stem pollution in the desulfurization process," he said.

　　Founded in 1919, Shougang was regularly cited as the flagship of Chinese industry. But in the past decade, its name was tarnished and is more closely associated with air pollution.

　　According to sources from the Beijing Environmental Protection Monitor Center, air quality in the capital has improved in recent years. Last year, 62.5 percent of the days were ranked "fine" or "fairly good" with pollution readings below 100. But in Shijingshan District where Shougang is located it was only 50.4 percent.

　　Environmental experts fear Beijing's air quality will not meet the standard the government promised in its effort to host the 2008 Olympics unless Shougang is moved out of the city.

　　(Xinhua)