A senior UN official praised China's remarkable progress in air pollution control, highlighting Beijing's transformation from one of the world's most polluted cities to a global model for clean air governance, as Sunday marked the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Speaking at a Thursday event hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) China Office, Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, emphasized that air pollution remains the world's leading environmental health risk and called for shared global responsibility to ensure clean air for all.
Once among the most polluted cities, Beijing now ranks as one of the cleanest capitals, with China's efforts in air pollution control widely recognized by the international community. "So great public policies were put in place and finally it forms the right partnerships. The partnerships with society, partnership with private sector, partnership with state owned enterprises, partnership with the very companies that are polluting the place. It all came together to look at a common cause. A common cause for a better environment for children, for adults, for everybody else. So Beijing stands out as a great model of success," said Chatterjee. Over the past decade, China's GDP has increased by 69 percent, yet PM2.5 levels have dropped by 57 percent, and heavy pollution days have been reduced by 92 percent. This drastic improvement in air quality, achieved alongside steady economic growth, has drawn worldwide attention. During the event, He Kebin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Tsinghua University, noted that the ongoing improvements in China's air quality have established a strong foundation for the future. He noted that since the launch of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan in 2013, the average PM2.5 concentration in China has fallen from 72 micrograms per cubic meter to 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter by 2024. "We estimated that if we maintain this path toward 2060, the carbon peaking and neutrality goals could lower the national average of PM2.5 concentration from the current level of around 20 micrograms per cubic meter to below 10 micrograms per cubic meter," said He.
UN official praises China's air quality improvements as Beijing sets global example
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
