The blue sky and white clouds are reflected in the Liangxi River in Binhu district, Wuxi. [Photo by Cao Fengzeng/WeChat account: wxbhfb]

Wuxi's Binhu district saw its air quality improve as the average density of PM2.5 -- fine particulate matter that causes smog -- slipped 5.4 percent to 35 micrograms per cubic meter last year.

The decrease gives Binhu the lowest density of PM2.5 in Wuxi and makes it the first district in the city to meet the national secondary standard on air quality.

In order to reduce air pollution, the district has built automatic air quality monitoring stations and put a ban on energy-intensive, high-polluting and high-emission construction and manufacturing projects.

According to an air pollution prevention and control plan unveiled by the local government, this year, the district will strengthen management on local industrial projects that may cause pollution and expand applications of advanced technologies such as internet of things to build an 24/7 early warning and monitoring platform.