China Reports Significant Improvements in Air and Water Quality

China has seen substantial improvements in its ecological environment, particularly in air quality, according to Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu on March 9, 2025. Speaking after a plenary meeting in Beijing, Huang showcased the progress using air quality monitoring data. In 2015, Beijing's PM2.5 density was 80.6 micrograms per cubic meter with 46 days of heavy pollution. By last year, the average PM2.5 density in Beijing had fallen to 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter, with only one day of heavy pollution. Nationwide, the average PM2.5 density in cities at and above prefecture-level reached 30 micrograms per cubic meter last year, a 16.7 percent decrease compared to 2019. Furthermore, 90.4 percent of the country's surface water was found to be of fairly good quality, marking the first time this figure has exceeded 90 percent.