Two areas in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei zone, notoriously known for its poor air quality, have been singled out as air pollution “hotspots” that will have to abide by stricter air quality regulations.

Located in the northern and central areas of the future megacity, the two hotspots occupy areas of Beijing as well as Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Hengshui, Langfang and Cangzhou in Hebei province. These cities have routinely been named among China’s worst for air pollution since 2013.

Chai Fahe, deputy head of the China Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said the areas not only suffer from worse air pollution than their neighbors, but also have longer lasting smog. As a result, the hotspots have been singled out for “extra strict” regulations in order to reduce emissions and help alleviate smog.

The identification of the hotspots comes after Beijing issued its first-ever red alert for air pollution last December, and comes amid other recent developments announced to fight air pollution. At the end of January this year, Beijing announced it would spend $2.5 billion on fighting air pollution in the capital as well as making it much easier for Beijing drivers to obtain a license plate so long as they purchase an electric vehicle.

Just recently, Beijing announced it will create “ventilation corridors” that will blow away smog from the capital as well as consolidating regulations on issuing red alerts for air pollution, which also has the effect of raising the bar and making these red alerts more difficult to be issued.

Most recently, Beijing announced it will raise the number of air monitoring station in the city from 35 to 65.

Beijing has set a goal to reduce air pollution in the city to 40 percent of levels recorded in 2013 by the year 2020.