In his inaugural speech, Xi Jinping, China's Party chief, called for the realization of the Chinese dream, which includes a more beautiful environment. President Hu Jintao’s report at 18th Party Congress also promoted ecological progress.

China has made substantial efforts to solve pollution problems in recent years as the following news photos show. They will help our readers see the efforts made not only by government, but also by people themselves from the developed east to the under developed west.

But environment issues still remain a massive challenge. Large areas of the country have been shrouded in smog throughout January, reaching more than 1.4 million square meters. Pollution is expected to be a hot topic during the upcoming two sessions.