Air, water quality continue to improve in Q1

China's air and water quality in general continued to improve in the first quarter of 2024, said Pei Xiaofei, spokesman of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, at a press conference in Beijing on Sunday.

"Regarding the air quality, the average density of PM2.5 monitored in 339 Chinese cities at and above prefecture-level decreased by 6.5 percent year on year to 43 micrograms per cubic meter in the first quarter. The average density of PM10, ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide all dropped from the same period of last year as well," he said.

"Days of good air quality in these cities accounted for 83.6 percent of the total, 3.5 percentage points higher year on year, while 2.4 percent of the days were marked with serious air pollution, a drop of 0.9 percentage point," he said.

The data also showed that in the January-March period, ground water quality of 89.9 percent of the 3,641 monitored sections was fairly good - at or above Grade III in the country's five-tier water quality system, which was 0.8 percentage point higher than a year ago.

The Yangtze River and the Yellow River, China's top two rivers, reported sound water quality in 2023, with their surface water quality at Grade II.

The water quality of China's major rivers, lakes and reservoirs generally improved in the first quarter. The water quality of 91.5 percent of monitored sections of the Yangtze River, the Yellow River and other major river basins was at or above Grade III, 1.2 percentage points higher year on year.

Of the 201 key lakes and reservoirs monitored, 82.1 percent reported water quality at or above Grade III, 1.1 percentage points higher than a year ago.

Air, water quality continue to improve in Q1

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠China's Type-055 Destroyer Yan'an, an iconic warship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command's navy, was staging training course in joint air defense with other types of military ships in the South China Sea, to accelerate its new-quality combat capability.    In response to diverse threat targets and attacks from various directions, commander Wang Liang, with good situational awareness, predicted the possible "enemy" movement, and worked out multiple countermeasures.

"As a new quality combat force of the navy, Destroyer Yan'an has achieved a qualitative leap in both tonnage and informatization. How to maximize the potential of new warships and enhance combat effectiveness? And how to transform theoretical innovation of war disciplines into actual combat competence enhancement? It requires exploration in actual combat drills," said Wang. 

As the "knife-wielding guard" of the aircraft carrier, Yan'an is sailing further and its mission tasks continue to expand. 

"In recent years, we've gone farther out to sea. During the voyage, we have conducted many targeted actual combat trainings, and the abilities of our professional sailors have been greatly improved, and we are more confident about conducting far-sea missions," said Luo Shengnan, a sailor on Yan'an.

PLA navy stages training courses in South China Sea