Yangtze audit finds 'complex' problems

The 11 provinces and municipalities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt have seen some improvement in pollution control and ecological quality, but environmental challenges remain serious, according to an audit released on Tuesday.

In an effort to promote the protection of the river's ecosystem, the National Audit Office has audited the implementation of environmental protection policies of the 11 provinces and municipalities - including Hubei and Zhejiang provinces, and the municipalities of Chongqing and Shanghai - in the past two years.

The report said the amount of urban sewage treated in the area has increased by 8 percent, and treated rubbish has climbed 11 percent over the past two years. Some 97,800 cases involving dumping and discharging pollution, or deforestation, have been dealt with, it said.