Understanding　the　extent　to　which　air　pollution　influences　the　process　of　attaining　sustainable　development　goals　(SDGs)　may　help　to　estimate　the　benefit　of　reducing　air　pollution　for　improving　sustainable　development　and　to　evaluate　the　necessity　and　urgency　of　reducing　air　pollutants　and　improving　air　quality.　In　this　paper,　we　use　the　latest　calculation　of　the　SDGs　in　China　to　construct　provincial　panel　data　and　investigate　the　relationship　between　air　pollution　and　Chinese　SDGs.　We　find　that　reducing　air　pollution　will　not　only　improve　the　SDGs　directly　associated　with　the　environment,　such　as　SDG3　(good　health　and　well-being)　and　SDG15　(life　on　land),　but　also　has　a　close　relationship　with　the　SDGs　of　other　dimensions,　such　as　SDG4　(quality　education),　SDG9　(industrial,　innovation　and　infrastructure),　SDG12(responsible　consumption　and　production),　SDG16　(peace,　justice　and　strong　institutions),　SDG17(global　partnerships).　Based　on　the　actual　reduction　in　industrial　SO2　emissions　and　evolution　of　the　SDGs　in　China,　we　estimate　that　the　former　contributes　approximately　3.5%-12.3%　of　the　actual　change　in　these　SDGs　from　2005　to　2015.　Our　findings　support　that　reducing　air　pollution　benefits　the　progress　of　sustainable　development　in　various　ways,　and　the　efforts　of　curbing　air　pollution　and　improving　air　quality　are　especially　valuable　for　sustainable　development.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.