China's air and water quality continued to improve in the first half of 2025, said Pei Xiaofei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

The proportion of days with good air quality in Chinese cities at or above prefecture level has reached 83.8 percent during this period, up 1 percentage point from the previous year, Pei told a press conference on Monday.

Meanwhile, the proportion of key lakes and reservoirs monitored with water quality below Grade V, the lowest classification in the country's five-tier water quality system, reached 3.8 percent – marking a decrease of 0.5 percentage points compared to the 2024 figure.

This progress aligns with China's ongoing efforts to advance its "Beautiful China" initiative, which prioritizes ecological and environmental protection in its social and economic development endeavors.

(Cover: A view of Wushan, Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, June 11, 2025. /VCG)