On June 27, the State Environmental Protection Administration announced the accomplishment of the specified goal of major pollutant discharge across China. It's gratifying to note that by the end of 1999, the total volume of the discharge of 12 major pollutants nationwide were all lower than the targeted control value set for 2000, meeting the planned control requirements ahead of schedule, which were set for the ninth Five-year Plan.

Over the past four years, marked progress has been made in this work of pollutant discharge control. By the end of 1999, the average reduction rate of the 12 indexes had decreased 43.3 percent.

At the new briefings held on June 27, an official with the State Environmental Protection Administration stressed that although the aggregate pollutant control planned target set for 2000 had been attained ahead of time, the foundation was not strong and the total emission of pollutants remained high, therefore, to achieve the target of basically improving the country's environmental quality, it is still necessary to substantially reduce the volume of pollutant discharge.

(People's Daily 06/28/2000)