(BEIJING, Dec. 24) -- Beijing's environment authorities announced on Sunday that the capital city has seen 238 days of good air quality since January 1, meeting the annual target ahead of time.

The achievement fulfilled the target of realizing days of level two air quality or better 65 percent of the year's total, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau announced.

In 2006 the Beijing Municipal Government has put air quality improvement as one of its priorities directly concerning people's lives. The number of good air quality days so far is 138 more than the 100 realized in 1998, making 2006 the eighth year in a row to register air quality improvement since 1999.