Fuel supplies don't meet emission standards

Chinese officials are calling for a new standards on car emissions to be delayed for two years until the right fuel can be supplied across the whole country. China, the world’s second largest auto market, introduced the third generation of fuel emission standards across the whole country on July 1. However, the National Environment Protection Bureau is facing hurdles in applying the new standards. Government officials have called for the standards to be kept on hold until the end of 2009, when the right fuel will be available across the country. Li Wanli, a senior official from the National Development and Reform Commission in charge of industrial policy planning, said, “Major fuel refiners, including Sinopec and PetroChina, have so far failed to supply the fuel to fit the Euro III standard nationwide.” There are about 85,000 gas stations in China, mostly operated by Sinopec and PetroChina. (July 4, 2007)