Taipei 101 [Photo/IC] TAIPEI -- The Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), a Taiwan think-tank, on Wednesday cut its forecast for the island's economic growth rate in 2019 to 2.15 percent from the 2.18 percent projected in December. The cut in economic growth forecast was due to a more-than-expected slowdown amid trade disputes between major economies and fluctuations in raw materials prices, the CIER said. The economic growth is forecast to be below 2 percent in the first half but to pick up to exceed 2 percent in the second half amid stronger support from domestic demand, said CIER president Chen Shi-kuan. According to the CIER's latest forecast, Taiwan's economy is expected to reach 1.75 percent in the first quarter, 1.9 percent in the second quarter, 2.31 percent in the third quarter and 2.61 percent in the fourth quarter. Earlier in March, Taiwan's monetary authority also lowered the GDP forecast for 2019 by 0.2 percentage points to 2.13 percent from its previous projection in December 2018, citing lower domestic demand, trade conflicts and restructuring of global supply chains. order silicone wristbands online cheapcustom rubber wristbandsdebossed rubber wristbandsrubber wristbands australiacustom silver bracelets
Tianjin Eye, a landmark giant Ferris wheel, is seen over Haihe River in Tianjin. [Photo/VCG] TIANJIN -- North China's Tianjin Municipality saw PM2.5 levels plummet during the past three quarters thanks to effective pollution control, local authorities said Wednesday. The average density of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that causes smog, in Tianjin dropped to 46 micrograms per cubic meter in the first three quarters, down 23.3 percent year-on-year, the best result ever recorded, according to the city's environmental protection bureau. Yang Yong, an official with the bureau, noted that Tianjin, which neighbors Beijing, said the average PM2.5 density was 30 micrograms per cubic meter in September, plummeting 40 percent year on year. The improvement was a result of a series of well-targeted measures, such as promoting clean energy heating, monitoring emissions from factories and the demolition of coal-fired boilers. From January to July, the average PM2.5 level in 28 Chinese cities prone to air pollution, including Beijing and Tianjin, declined by 13.9 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
