BEIJING, Feb. 13 -- China's emission cuts are not enough to help improve the environment, vice environment minister Zhai Qing said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters at a regular press briefing a few days ahead of Spring Festival when air quality is expected to plummet due to fireworks, Zhai said pollution reduction had made an "undeniable" contribution. In particular, China could only process 52 million tonnes of wastewater around 2006; that figure is now 170 million tonnes. In addition, 95 percent of thermal power plants are now equipped with desulphurization facilities, whereas very few had such equipment in 2006.

Zhai acknowledged that efforts to bring down emissions have not helped improve air quality much.

"China's pollution problem is very big and reducing pollution by a few percentage points is not enough for a significant improvement," he said.

Pollution control only covers a few key pollutants such as chemical oxygen demand. Other pollutants like volatile organic compounds are not included.

The vice minister said China would continue to cut pollution and give special attention to improving the environment.