Improving air quality should not rely on foreign embassies butChina's own efforts, Deputy Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said.

Cui made the remarks as a response to the disputes betweenBeijingand foreign embassies' monitoring and issuing of air quality data inChinafor PM2.5, which shows the amount of air particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.

"Of course we all care about air quality, and it's absolutely necessary to monitor it, but what's more important is to improve it," Cui told Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV. "That's the reason whyChinais committed to sustainable development as well as building an environmental friendly and recourse-saving society."

"Fundamentally, the improvement relies on ourown efforts, while it is beyond foreign embassies' capability and willingness."

The top environmental official said recently that it is technically inaccurate and goes against international conventions and Chinese laws for foreign embassies or consulates inChina- specifically the US Embassy inBeijingand the US Consulate General inShanghai- to monitor local air quality and publish the results online.

TheUSembassy issues hourly air quality readings on its micro blog and its consulate inShanghaihas also been releasing PM2.5 levels since last month. The data are often inconsistent with those from Chinese authorities.

If they really care about the improvement of Chinese air conditions, foreign embassies should clarify the pollution from car exhaust when marketing their cars toChina, Cui said.

"Car exhaust is a major source of air pollution, while foreign delegations in China spare no effort to sell cars to Chinese," said Cui, urging the delegations to inform Chinese that the exhaust from cars they sell is as unhealthy as smoking.

Early this yearBeijingbegan reporting PM2.5. The Ministry of Environmental Protection has ordered 74 cities to apply a more comprehensive air quality monitoring standard and publish daily reports on PM2.5 by the end of this year.