While China's citizenry are dying in record numbers owing to catastrophic levels of urban air pollution, the country's leaders are breathing Perri-Air. That is, their offices and homes use elaborate, expensive air filters to prevent the country's elites from having to breathe the same toxic shit as the plebes in the street.

Meanwhile, the government reports negligible levels of pollution that don’t come close to requiring personal air supplies. But the U.S. embassy in Beijing is reporting air pollution levels that don't exactly toe the party line, leading China's official environment ministry to accuse the Americans of "hype."

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The embassy's readings, published on Twitter, often clash with official data. On Sunday, it rated Beijing's air as "hazardous" as thick smog blanketed the city, while official Chinese measurements said the pollution was "slight."

With apologies to Adam Aston for stealing his headline. You should follow him. Also to Michael Moyer for stealing his Spaceballs reference. Likewise.

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