At a CPPCC news conference on improving people's livelihoods, a senior environmental official said as a result of a series of measures, the air quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region significantly improved last winter.

HUANG RUNQIU CPPCC MEMBER DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION "On the one hand, we replaced coal with cleaner energy and shut down plants with heavy pollution in 28 cities of the region; on the other hand, we intensified our environmental protection inspections in all 28 cities, to make sure local government carry out environmental protection measures." 

Despite the improvement last winter, the deputy minister cautioned the recent smog in Beijing shows the country still has a long way to go in fighting air pollution. He said to get rid of the root cause of air pollution in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, the country has decided to adjust its industrial, energy and transportation structures in the region over the next three years. The news conference also touched on issues like kindergarten education, poverty alleviation and health care reform.