China's air, water quality shows overall improvement in Q1

BEIJING - China's air and water quality continued to improve in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, Pei Xiaofei, spokesperson for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said on Wednesday.

The average density of PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, stood at 41.3 micrograms per cubic meter in the first quarter, down 4.8 percent year-on-year, Pei told a press conference.

The proportion of days with good air quality in Chinese cities at or above the prefecture level reached 84.8 percent in this period, up 1.2 percentage points from the previous year.

In terms of water quality, the proportion of surface-water bodies at or above Grade III in the country's five-tier water quality system stood at 91 percent in the first three months, increasing by 1.1 percentage points year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the proportion of surface water below Grade V, the lowest level, remained at 0.7 percent.

China has steadfastly advanced its "Beautiful China" initiative, emphasizing ecological and environmental protection as a top priority in its social and economic development.