China is to receive a $300m (£198m) loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help it combat dangerous pollution levels in Beijing city and its surrounding area.
The ADB said that poor air quality had reached such a serious level that it was "jeopardising health and sustainable growth".
The loan is intended to cut the region's coal use, among other pollution issues.
China is the world's biggest polluter.
The loan will target Beijing city and surrounding areas including Hebie and Tianjin. The region is home to more than 100 million people and accounts for 10% of China's gross domestic product, the ADB said.
"Poor air quality has reached such a serious level that it is jeopardising health and sustainable growth in the capital region," said ADB's urban development specialist Satoshi Ishii.
"[Our] assistance will help reduce emissions and strengthen the environment regulatory framework and capacity of environmental monitoring and enforcement.
"Better air quality will benefit the economy and people's health, both in the region and beyond," he added.
