The American Chamber of Commerce published the results of its annual ‘China Business Climate’ survey earlier in March. One question asked ‘Have you or your organisation experienced any difficulties in recruiting or retaining senior executives to work in China because of air quality issues?’ Responses from the organisation’s 365 members underline a trend, 48% replied yes in 2014 versus 34% in 2013 and 19% in 2008. Although there is little published data, companies in many sectors report managers at all levels trying to escape the pollution. They're asking to be relocated. As a result, recruiters say foreign enterprises are having increasing difficulty attracting top talent to The Middle Kingdom as many refuse to move, citing Beijing’s worsening air quality.

Off the record, several international schools’ headmasters told BBC Capital that admissions fell by as much as 5% last year [...] Parents worry about the long-term effects of exposing their children to hazardous levels of foul air [...]

A WHO survey released last year that looked at causes of deaths worldwide found outdoor air pollution contributed to 1.2 million premature deaths in China in 2010, accounting for almost 40% of the global total. When the survey was published several Chinese university professors contested the methodology and said the figure could likely be even higher.