The turret of the Palace Museum in Beijing is seen in a clear day on Nov 22, 2017. [Photo/IC] BEIJING - After five years fighting air pollution, Beijing and neighbors are finally breathing noticeably cleaner air, with sales of anti-smog mask down markedly. The average density of PM2.5 in Beijing was 58 micrograms per cubic meter last year, meeting the target and 20.5 percent less than in 2016, Liu Baoxian, deputy director of Beijing environmental protection monitoring center, told a press conference. Densities of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10 also dropped by 20 percent, 4.2 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively. The 226 good air days in 2017 were 28 more than in 2016, while the number of heavy pollution days fell from 39 to 23. An air pollution plan issued by the State Council in September 2013 ordered Beijing to reduce its PM 2.5 density from 90 in 2013 to around 60 micrograms per cubic meter by the end of last year. Among pollution controls were demolition of coal-fired boilers and the phasing out vehicles with high emissions, according to Li Xiang, of Beijing bureau of environmental protection. Li said small coal-fired boilers had almost vanished, replaced by gas or electricity, and all districts in the city proper had stopped coal use. Since 2013, Beijing has shut down six cement plants and closed or upgraded nearly 2,000 companies in printing, casting, furniture manufacture and other sectors, she said. personalised festival wristbandscreate your own wristband202mm to inches24 hour wristbands coupon24hourwristbandsthe wristband factory
BEIJING - The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Wednesday called on people across the Taiwan Straits to work together for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and peaceful reunification of the motherland.Liu Jieyi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks while meeting with a Taiwanese delegation led by Hualien county chief Fu Kun-Chi in Beijing.Efforts should be made to adhere to the "1992 Consensus," which embodies the one-China principle, and resolutely oppose separatist activities advocating "Taiwan independence," Liu noted.Liu also pledged more measures to boost cross-Straits economic and cultural cooperation and improve the wellbeing of people on both sides.Fu expressed his gratitude for the help the mainland provided after a devastating earthquake that hit Hualien in early February. He said the county would continue to uphold the "1992 Consensus" and expand cooperation with the mainland.
