A security guard checks the Yanqi Lake area, in the Huairou district of Beijing, in front of one of the buildings where the APEC summit will be held. Photo: IC

As the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders' Week kicks off in Beijing this month, a variety of security and environmental control measures have been adopted in and around the capital ahead of the meeting.

To successfully hold this international event in a hectic city like Beijing, before and during the meeting government employees will be given six days off work, and vehicles are now allowed to use the road only on alternating days according to the last digit of their car license plate numbers.

Furthermore, all of Beijing's construction sites, in both urban and suburban areas, have been ordered to halt operations and vehicles transporting building materials have been banned from the roads to reduce air pollution.

The push to reduce Beijing's air pollution during the summit has spread to areas around the city; the Ministry of Environmental Protection has dispatched 16 teams to supervise seriously polluted industrial centers in North China, in regions as far away from the capital as Henan Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Due to traffic controls on the roads leading into and out of Beijing, the State Post Bureau has warned of post delays starting from Monday, while some dairy companies have also had to temporarily stop delivering milk to the city's homes.

Police have cordoned off streets around the National Convention Center and the Yanqi Lake area where the summit will be held, with security facilities and personnel on alert around the clock for any possible risks to ensure an absolutely secure world leaders summit.

Global Times

Police cordon off the scenic area around Yanqi Lake on October 28 in preparation for the upcoming APEC meeting. Photo: IC

Beijing's often-congested traffic shows signs of improvement on Monday morning, the first day of the week-long odd-even plate number alternations. Photo: IC

Traffic passes by an ornamental flower display installed to celebrate the APEC Meeting, in central Beijing on Monday. Photo: IC

A boy has his photo taken in front of the cordoned-off area of the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing on November 1. Photo: IC