From January through June, Zhuhai has been at least 8th in air quality among 169 key cities nationwide and one of the top three in June alone, according to the PRC Ministry of Ecology & Environment.

The average concentration of PM2.5 in the city was 29 mcg per cubic meter through June, leveling off from last year. The monitored indexes of pollutants have met the national standard for four consecutive years.

Nevertheless, Zhuhai still has some way to go before being designated a winner in the country's "battle for blue skies." The blue skies plan for air pollution control was announced by the State Council earlier this month.

Seaside air speaks for itself [Photo by Zhong Fan / Zhuhai Daily]

The city's 2018 goal is to have the ratio of excellent or fine air days rise to 91 percent. The average concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 would then have fallen below 29 and 43 mcg per cubic meter respectively.

To achieve that, Zhuhai will further crack down on dust, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and biomass briquette boilers. Industrial enterprises not qualified for urban planning, breaching emission standards, or engaging in illegal production will be shut down, urged to move or renovated to meet requirements, stated the municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.