"Chinese media have reacted strongly to dangerous levels of pollution recorded in many northern cities in recent days ... The official People's Daily said the smog was a "suffocating siege" which had to be urgently addressed. The state-run China Daily said the country had to learn to balance development with quality of life. Meanwhile, the tabloid Global Times said China was risking serious long-term environmental damage. Smog also dominated social media sites." (Quoted from article)