Since 1998, Beijing invested RMB30 billion in several dozen air-quality improvement projects. The pollutants in the air decreased continuously in the past two years. The concentrations of SO2, nitrogen oxides, ASP and CO decreased 41%, 18%, 7% and 21% comparing with 1998. The air quality in 45% of the days is Grade II or better. The air quality in 80% of the days is Grade III or better.

To reach the 2002 environment protection goals, Beijing modified 47,600 boilers to promote clean fuel, modified vehicles so that the tail gas emission standardization rate is 90%, increased green coverage to 36%, relocated heavy pollution factories, and strengthened water resource management.

In Wuhan, all of the 612 industrial polluters reached emission standardization. Of them, 393 reached emission standards, 188 were shut down or relocated. It is said that the pollutants content in Wuhan's wastewater decreased 65%.