On way to building a green, healthy future

China has made significant achievements in environmental development, especially in controlling and preventing air pollution, over the past five years. As Premier Li Keqiang said in the Government Work Report he delivered to the on-going first session of the 13th National People's Congress on March 5, the emission of major air pollutants was continuously reduced and smoggy days in major cities were halved from 2013 to 2017. The improved air quality can be attributed to the five-sphere integrated plan.

And now that the Ministry of Ecological Environment is to be established, by incorporating the Ministry of Environmental Protection and some functions and duties of several ministries and commissions, the environment and ecology will be better protected.

Thanks to President Xi Jinping's remark that "green hills and clear waters are golden and silver mountains", emission control and environmental protection have been prioritized in the work agendas of the central government down up to those of city governments.