The aerosol indirect effect (AIE) can significantly affect climate change and is one of the largest uncertainties in climate change studies. To date, only a few AIE studies using satellite measurements have been carried out in China, and no such study has been done using ground-based measurements. The AIE can only be assessed accurately from aircraft or ground-based measurements. The first comprehensive investigation into the AIE over this polluted region based upon extensive ground-based measurements has now been reported in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.