China will see fundamental improvements in its environmental quality by 2035, when the average PM2.5 concentration in the air nationwide will meet the national standard, Minister of Environmental Protection Li Ganjie said on Monday.

"We are conducting studies to clarify the details of the fundamental improvement, but I think, in the field of air quality, it means the national average PM2.5 level will be lowered to 35 micrograms per cubic meter," said Li Ganjie, minister of environmental protection, at a news conference on the sidelines of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

PM2.5 refers to hazardous fine particulate matter in the air. The 35 microgram per cubic meter concentration is one of major indexes used to describe air quality.