Beijing's air quality has remained in Class 3 during the first half of this year, but the amount of sulfer dioxide and inhalable particulate matter under 10 microns (PM10) have both decreased compared with last year, said a report recently launched by China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Beijing News reported on Monday.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection monitored 113 major cities across China, including municipalities, provincial capitals and industrial cities, and found that the average density of sulfur dioxide dropped 2.2 percent, but that nitrogen dioxide rose 5.7 percent.

The average amount of PM10 across the country hasn't changed much. In 113 major cities in the ministry's key monitoring list, 45 cities have reported air quality lower than standard. Urumqi ranks at the bottom with its Third Degree Bad Air Quality.