Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

As the smog continues to plague Delhi of India, attention is also turning to what India can learn from China's air pollution control.

According to India Today, data shows that Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 264 on Thursday, firmly in the "poor" zone. According to The Economic Times, air pollution has become an annual feature in Delhi as winter begins, with several parts of the capital wrapped in a thick layer of smog. Amid worsening air pollution in India, spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in India Yu Jing stated on social media on Tuesday, "China once struggled with severe smog, too. We stand ready to share our journey toward blue ones." This is not the first time voices have emerged in India calling for India to learn from China's air pollution control. Previously, some Indian media outlets, including Indian business newspaper The Economic Times, have looked to China for reference.

Years ago, China's air pollution once drew international concern. In 2013, the State Council issued the Action Plan on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution. Over the past decade, China has established a systematic and practically tested framework for air pollution control. Jia Weilie, a professor at the Institute for Sustainability of Huzhou University and a researcher at the Budapest Centre for Long-term Sustainability, told the Global Times that China has developed practical and replicable practices, including establishing a scientific and efficient monitoring and regulatory system, promoting the transition to cleaner energy sources, optimizing industrial structure and layout, as well as strengthening regional joint prevention and control mechanisms. China's success has demonstrated to developing nations worldwide that economic growth and environmental governance are not mutually exclusive. They can avoid the traditional path of "polluting first and cleaning up later" the Western industrialized countries once took.

China and India share certain commonalities in the environmental challenges and the sources of pollution. Indian cities like Delhi are currently grappling with severe air pollution due to reasons including crop residue burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial activities - all of which have been key focuses in China's air governance agenda. Long Xingchun, a professor from the School of International Relations of Sichuan International Studies University, said China has extensive expertise in areas such as energy substitution and heating equipment improvements, with measures like the coal-to-gas transition in particular offering relevant insights for India. He added that when it comes to new energy, China and India already have a foundation for cooperation in solar energy, which further expands the possibilities for collaboration on pollution control.

India doesn't need to completely replicate the Chinese model due to the differences in economic development level and political system. However, as The Economic Times noted, "India can't be China but can learn important lessons." Cooperation between the two countries in air pollution control would not only help India avoid detours in combating air pollution but also open new avenues for rebuilding mutual trust.

China's experience shows that addressing air pollution is an arduous long-term battle that demands firm political will and sustained investment from the government - it cannot be accomplished overnight. While the potential for cooperation in air pollution control is substantial, the depth and breadth of future collaboration will largely depend on how the Indian government responds to China's goodwill in sharing its experience.