This paper presents a brief description of the sources and characteristics of air pollution in China, documenting acid rain aggravation and its regional distribution in the past years. Simulation of SO2 ground-level concentration and sulfur deposition in 1995 was performed with the Nanjing University developed acid deposition model system (NJUADMS) and compared with the national observations and the model output of the RAINS-ASIA. Furthermore, the acid rain control policy and its countermeasures adopted for the country are presented. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.