But some of our viewers commented that most of the electricity that these vehicles use is generated by coal, which increases air pollution and greenhouse gases.

We take a deeper look at China’s battle against air pollution and highlight more multimedia features produced by the Clearing the Air project by China Green at the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations.

To visualize the difference between a smoggy day and a clear day in Bejing, China Green created a photo slider where you can move your mouse across to see the contrast in one frame:

The project has also included a daily photo diary of Beijing’s air quality, listing the best and worst days for air pollution levels.

This project recently expanded to include a Twitter competition BeijingAirPix between photos of Beijing and New York. Beijing defintely does not always lose!

In addition to the visuals, the site explains how air pollution is measured:

Air pollution index (API), published by China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, is derived from measurements of five pollutants: Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, PM10, Carbon Monoxide and Ozone. The average concentration for each pollutant is calculated daily and the concentration of the pollutant with the highest API (0-500) will become that day’s major pollutant, recorded as that day’s API figure. In Beijing, PM10–particulate matter 10 microns or smaller–is the major pollutant most days.

And, there is an explanation of what the government has done thus far:

The Chinese have invested about 120 billion yuan ($17.3 billion) over the last 10 years to improve air quality in the capital. Although the levels of many major pollutants like Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide are now at target levels, the concentration of PM10, or inhalable particulate matter, remains above national targets. During the Olympic Games, Beijing shut down upwind factories, halted construction and imposed strict traffic controls to control emissions.

The site also offers a news feed of recent articles on China’s air quality.

Longing for Blue Skies explains the attempts by China’s government to rein in air pollution during a period of major economic growth:

On October 1, China will celebrate its 60th birthday with massive celebrations that will rival last year’s Olympics opening ceremonies. The 200,000 performers will congregate around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to commemorate the establishment of the People’s Republic.

Government officials are keeping mostly mum about the details of the occasion. Hu Jintao is slated to deliver a speech, followed by a decennial military parade that will include the brand new Dongfeng 41, a Chinese-made intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile with a range of 7,500 miles.

The Rand Corporation said last month that China has upgraded the quantity and quality of short-range missiles, making it more difficult for the U.S. to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. China contends that the missiles are for deterrence.

Meanwhile, Jackie Chan and Jet Li are among the cast of an epic Communist revolution film that will also figure into the birthday festivities. “Jian Guo Da Ye” (The Founding of a Republic) reportedly cost less than $10 million and will be released on September 17, two weeks before the anniversary celebrations.

In 1989, China’s government attempted to block reports of its brutal crackdown on the demonstrators. Now, China is once again shutting off access and trying to downplay signs of new civil disobedience.

The Tiananmen Square protests were led largely by young students, and one of their leaders was Shen Tong. He fled his homeland six days after government troops opened fire on the protestors on June 4, 1989 and is now a businessman in New York.

Shen Tong joins Martin Savidge for a look back at the pro-democracy protests and how they have and have not changed China.

However, China never approved a single one of those applications. In fact, some of the citizens who had tried to apply for the permits were harassed or detained.

Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch, who edited a book about the Olympics and human rights in China, joins Martin Savidge to discuss the international community’s pressure on China, human rights in China since the Olympics and how the economic downturn is impacting the country’s human rights.

Seen here in Beijing, George W. Bush was the first U.S. president to attend the Olympic Games outside the United States.

As President George W. Bush prepares to leave office, commentators and Bush himself have examined the legacy he will leave behind, both domestically and abroad.

“You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made,” Bush said in his farewell speech, “but I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.”

Though Bush has suffered from low approval ratings within the United States, a handful of foreign countries may view him in a more favorable light. The Los Angeles Times reported that he remains popular in China, where some citizens express fondness for Xiao Bush, or “Young Bush.”

The outgoing president also improved relations with India with a nuclear deal and increased exchange. The Indian prime minister recently told the U.S. leader, “The people of India deeply love you.”

Watch a Worldfocus interview exploring George W. Bush’s legacy.

The “Peking Duck” blog challenges the L.A. Times article, writing that most Chinese react to Bush’s name with scorn and disappointment.

The “Vance Report” blog writes that Bush has been a friend to China, pointing to his attendance at the Beijing Olympics and support of human rights in China.

The “Bits from Bangalore” blog writes that reports of India’s love of Bush are overblown, but that some Indians are concerned about Obama’s protectionism with respect to outsourcing.

During the 2008 presidential race, Obama made a statement that the U.S. should become more involved in trying to resolve the Kashmir dispute — a position which struck a raw nerve with Indians, according to blogger “Myra McDonald.”

Blogger “Daniel Larison” provides an overview of Indian reactions to Obama’s controversial position on Kashmir.

To “Down with Tyranny” blog traces changes in Bush’s approval ratings in various countries, writing that Obama is more favored globally.

President Bush may also retain support in Africa, where he has funnelled assistance to fight HIV/AIDS.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user kk+ under a Creative Commons license.