Autocratic governments aren&#x27;t exactly known for their forward seeking vision.  Problems come up and half assed solutions come down.  There&#x27;s no democratic element to demand a higher level of service, say with how the US had its environment movement which led to many laws protecting the land, air, and water and ultimately culminated into several state agencies, federal guidelines, the EPA, etc.  These are large holistic changes brought about by the democratic process in Western states. Autocratic states don&#x27;t have this mechanism so its a lot of basic face saving moves because politically this issue isn&#x27;t that important and&#x2F;or interferes with the CCP&#x27;s ability to grow its economy. This creates a real victimization of innocents who don&#x27;t have a voice because they&#x27;re governed without consent.<p>Birth defects have increased about 70 percent in China over the past two decades, now reaching about 900,000 per year, according to the country&#x27;s Ministry of Health.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.scientificamerican.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;soot-and-smog-put-chinas-babies-at-risk&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.scientificamerican.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;soot-and-smog-put-...</a><p>Study Links Polluted Air in China to 1.6 Million Deaths a Year<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nytimes.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;08&#x2F;14&#x2F;world&#x2F;asia&#x2F;study-links-polluted-air-in-china-to-1-6-million-deaths-a-year.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nytimes.com&#x2F;2015&#x2F;08&#x2F;14&#x2F;world&#x2F;asia&#x2F;study-links-pol...</a><p>Air pollution is killing about 4,000 people in China a day, accounting for 1 in 6 premature deaths in the world&#x27;s most populous country, a new study finds.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nbcnews.com&#x2F;health&#x2F;health-news&#x2F;air-pollution-killing-4-000-china-day-us-study-finds-n409516" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nbcnews.com&#x2F;health&#x2F;health-news&#x2F;air-pollution-kill...</a><p>A &quot;mist cannon&quot; isn&#x27;t helping with this.<p>edit: I have made fair cites and laid out my argument. Driveby downvotes just show how biased HN is towards China.