BEIJING - The air quality monitoring activities of foreign embassies and consulates in China are not in accordance with international conventions and relevant Chinese regulations, China's vice-minister of environmental protection said Tuesday.

Vice-Minister Wu Xiaoqing said at a press conference that it is the Chinese government's duty to monitor air quality and release the results, and it involves the public interest.

"Some foreign embassies and consulates in China are monitoring air quality and publishing the results themselves," said Wu, "it is not in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and it is also against relevant environmental protection regulations."