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China says winter smog battle to have limited impact on economy

FILE PHOTO: The construction site of China Zun, planned to be the tallest building in Beijing, is seen amid smog at sunset in Beijing, China July 9, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) - The economic impact of China's tough campaign against smog this winter is expected to be limited, a senior state planning official said on Saturday.

"Measures to fight pollution don't have a big impact on economic growth," Zhang Yong, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters during a briefing.

As many as 28 cities in northern China have vowed to slash industrial output this winter in a bid to cut smog by at least 15 percent and meet politically important air quality targets for this year.

(Reporting by Kevin Yao and Meng Meng; Writing by David Stanway; Editing by Kim Coghill)