The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has pledged sustained efforts to tackle environmental problems at people's doorsteps, even as China records continued overall improvements in environmental quality.

At a news conference on Friday, the ministry's spokesman Pei Xiaofei said the country's environmental protection work has made "remarkable progress".

In 2025, the national average concentration of PM2.5 particulate matter reached 28 micrograms per cubic meter, while the proportion of days with fairly good air quality — defined as an air quality index below 100 on a 0-500 scale — rose to 89.3 percent, the best level since monitoring began in 2013.

The water quality of the main stream of the Yangtze River has remained at or above Grade III for six consecutive years, while the Yellow River's main stream has maintained that level for four consecutive years, he said. Water at Grade III quality is considered good enough for most aquatic organisms to live in.

"The achievements are clear for all to see, but the problems cannot be overlooked," Pei said. "At present, many pressing environmental issues still exist right at people's doorsteps."

He said media reports in recent years have exposed pollution in some tributaries and small water bodies, as well as indiscriminate garbage dumping.

"We must view these issues objectively and rationally, neither allowing achievements to overshadow the problems nor denying overall progress because of localized issues," he said.

Pei added that such pollution not only affects people's physical and mental health and quality of life, but also undermines efforts to build a Beautiful China.

He said the ministry has taken a series of measures to address the problems.

So far, it has guided local authorities in addressing violations at about 41,000 sewage outfalls leading into small water bodies, he said.

It has also expanded its surface water monitoring network to more than 200 sections, covering poorly performing second- and third-tier tributaries of major rivers, as well as small water bodies.

Since 2021, more than 16,000 heavily polluted water bodies nationwide have been identified and placed under a special rectification program.

By the end of last year, 98.7 percent of 5,042 large rural black and odorous water bodies had been treated. The ministry said it expects such water bodies near rural communities to be essentially eliminated by 2027.

Pei said the ministry will accelerate the release of action plans for protecting and treating water bodies near communities and for improving small rural water systems.

He added that, together with other government departments, the ministry will launch five targeted campaigns, including efforts to address industrial park water pollution and to comprehensively manage livestock and poultry waste.

The ministry will also aim to ensure that water bodies near communities have no abnormal color, no foul odor and no visible floating debris.

"Together with all sectors of society, we will tackle problems one by one and work collectively to turn the grand blueprint of building a Beautiful China into a splendid reality, step by step," he said.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn