China Reports Improved Air Quality In First Quarter

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment reported an overall improvement in air quality during the first quarter of 2026. PM2.5 average concentrations in the Yangtze River Delta decreased by 2.3% year-on-year, and heavy pollution days fell to 1.6% of the total. Surface water quality remained stable, with 89.5% of water categorized as types 1 to 3 (excellent/good). The proportion of days with heavy or severe pollution fell to 1.6%, a 0.2 percentage point decrease from the previous year. President Xi Jinping has issued instructions to summarize and apply development experiences from Yiwu to promote high-quality growth. PM2.5 concentrations in 339 cities averaged 40.6 micrograms per cubic meter, a 1.2% year-on-year decrease, while PM10 averaged 63 micrograms per cubic meter. China reported that the average concentration of new urban pollutants was 40.6 micrograms per cubic meter from January to March, a 1.2% year-on-year decrease. The proportion of days with good air quality rose 0.1 percentage points to 76.4%. During the same first quarter, China's insurance industry premium income reached 2.31 trillion yuan, representing a 6.2% increase compared to the previous year.