China's ecological environment improves in 2019

China saw progress in environmental protection as the quality of air, surface water and oceans improved in 2019, according to a new report.

The proportion of good air quality days in China’s 337 cities at or above prefecture level hit 82 percent in 2019, with 157 cities nationwide meeting the air quality standards, said the report submitted to the ongoing regular session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

The impact of heavily polluted weather eased in 2019, with a notable decrease in peak concentrations, pollution intensity, duration and impact, compared with previous years.

According to the report, the proportion of surface water with a good quality rating at grade III or above was up 3.9 percentage points year on year.

The areas with the worst quality level decreased by 3.3 percentage points over the previous year.